Grated Summer Squash With Truffle Pecorino Recipes

MAMA'S SUMMER SQUASH CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 1-quart casserole dish.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add squash and onion, cover, and steam until squash is tender and easily mashed with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Whisk egg and sour cream together in the prepared casserole dish; add squash, onions, 2/3 the crackers, and 2/3 the Cheddar cheese. Stir with a fork. Cover the squash mixture with remaining Cheddar cheese and crackers.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and crackers are lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

GRATED SUMMER SQUASH WITH TRUFFLE PECORINO

Steps:

• Trim the squash, grate on the large holes of a box grater, and transfer to a medium bowl. Finely grate enough of the cheese to make 1/4 cup and add to the bowl. Use a vegetable peeler on the remaining chunk of cheese to make a small pile of cheese shards, and set them aside.
• Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the squash, add a few large pinches of salt, and mix well. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and sprinkle the cheese shards over the top of the salad.
• Because squash has so much water, it starts to wilt and release liquid as soon as it comes into contact with salt. So for best results, serve this salad within minutes of making it.

WILD MOREL, FRESH PECORINO AND SUMMER TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Marinate morels in olive oil and lemon and orange zest for at least 4 hours.
• For the Salad: Shave pecorino into 1/8-inch slices that measure 1 1/2 inches long by 1/2-inch wide. Set aside. Shuck and peel fava beans. Cook in boiling water with salt until they are tender. Remove and shock in ice cold water to stop cooking. Remove morels from marinade and grill over low heat. Place morels on a plate and hold aside.
• For the Vinaigrette: Mix olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon zest and orange zest. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in beans.
• Place morels and cheese slices decoratively on a clean plate. Dress with vinaigrette. Top with thin slices of summer truffles. Serve.

LITTLE GEM LETTUCE WITH SUMMER SQUASH, WALNUTS, AND PECORINO

Steps:

• Place the onion slices in a small bowl of ice water and set them aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients for the salad.
• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Scatter the walnut halves on a baking sheet and toast them for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally for even toasting, until they're lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the walnuts from the oven and set them aside to cool to room temperature. Transfer the walnuts to a small bowl, drizzle with the walnut oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat the nuts with the seasonings.
• Drain the onion, pat dry with paper towels, and place it in a medium bowl. Add the squash, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette, season with salt, and toss to coat the vegetables with the seasonings. Add the grated pecorino romano and toss gently to distribute the cheese. Taste for seasoning and add more vinaigrette or salt, if desired.
• Discard any brown or unappealing outer leaves from the lettuce heads. Pull the leaves away from the cores, putting them in a large, wide bowl, and discard the cores. Season the lettuce with salt and toss gently to distribute the salt evenly. Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of vinaigrette over the lettuce and toss, gently massaging the vinaigrette into the leaves. Taste for seasoning and add more vinaigrette or salt, if desired.
• Building the salads in three layers, place three of the largest lettuce leaves in the center of each of four plates like a triangle. Scatter one-third of the squash and onions on the leaves, dividing them evenly. Lay two onion rings and scatter several walnut halves on each salad. Build two more layers the same as the first, using the medium leaves for the second layers and reserving the smallest leaves for the top layers. Grate fresh pecorino romano and coarsely grind black pepper over each salad. Scatter the remaining walnuts around the salads, dividing them evenly, drizzle about a teaspoon of vinaigrette around each salad, and serve.
• Friulano (Friuli)