Cooking With The Greenmarket: A Pattypan Squash Side

Cortelyou Greenmarket vendor El Mirador Farm has had a wonderful supply lately of pattypan squash ($1.25/lb), a stout summer squash variety that just sort of makes you go, “Aww.”

Pattypan (which I walked around for a while thinking was called Peter Pan) is not starchy like, say, potatoes or butternut squash, making it a ideal component in hot weather meals. On a skewer or in a side like today’s Cooking with the Greenmarket recipe, pattypan squash is delicious without feeling too darn heavy.

For this recipe, you will need:

• One bundle of leek sheaths to fill one cup
• One bunch of basil to fill one tablespoon
• Two tablespoons feta cheese
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper

First, heat the squash in a pot of water for about five minutes to soften it up a little. Add the squash at the same time as the water, not after the water reaches a boil.

In your free time, you can slice the leek sheaths into small ribbons. Once the squash is done heating, remove it, soak it quickly in cold water, dry it, and chop it to fill two cups.

Coat a large frying pan in olive oil, allowing it to heat for about 20 seconds. Then add the squash and leek to the pan.

At this point, you can dice your basil to fill one tablespoon. Return to the pan frequently to flip and stir the squash mix, adding salt and pepper as desired.

Fry the squash mix for six to seven minutes or until tender and slightly browned. Then remove it from heat and add your chopped basil. Crumble two tablespoons of feta into the mix for a side to chicken or an alternative to french fries with another dish.

This makes two side dish servings of  tender squash that still has a bit of a buttery taste alongside an onion kick, and the mix of  hot and cold ingredients is nice for folks who put extra stock in their food’s texture.

If you try this squash side, tell me what you pair it with–and if you have a recipe I should try that uses an ingredient from the Greenmarket, let me know at editor@ditmasparkcorner.com.