Roasted Honeynut with Egg and Prosciutto
Serves 4
The small butternut-type squash called Honeynut or Honeybaby is a perfect vehicle for this elegant lunch or brunch, light-yet-hearty dish. It's a straight-up simple preparation, but cozy and charming. You roast the small halves with a nubbin of butter until they're tender, then line the seeded cavity with prosciutto and add an egg to the indentation with a little sweet or smoked paprika. Pop it back into the oven for a few minutes until the egg is softly cooked. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds. But you can also make your own seeds: Clean the honeynut seeds of their fibrous flesh and sprinkle with a little oil and salt. Spread them in a small baking dish and roast in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes, turning several times. Serve the filled halves with a spinach salad and crusty bread and butter. The dish is open to improvisation. Need to make it vegetarian? Fill the squash with caramelized onions and sauteed chard, and if you like, sprinkle with grated Gruyere. Sausage can stand in for the prosciutto, as can sauteed, wellseasoned ground turkey, or corned beef hash.
2 Honeynut or Honeybaby squash, halved lengthwise, seeds removed with a spoon
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 slices prosciutto
4 eggs
Sweet or smoked paprika (for sprinkling)
1 tablespoon roasted pumpkin seeds (for garnish)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Have on hand a 12-inch baking dish that will hold the 4 halves (a tight fit is OK).
2. Arrange the halves in the baking dish, cut sides up. Divide the butter among the halves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast the squash for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when pierced with a skewer.
3. Turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees.
4. Halve the prosciutto slices. Line the honeynut cavities with prosciutto. If there is any prosciutto left, cut it into thin slivers. Break an egg into each cavity, dust lightly with paprika and sprinkle with the prosciutto slivers, if you have some.
5. Return the squash to the oven. Roast for 8 minutes (for a soft yolk), or until the white are just set; they will set more as they sit. Set the baking dish in a warm place and cover loosely with parchment paper. Let them sit for 2 minutes. Garnish with the roasted seeds and parsley.