Baked Spaghetti Squash with Garlicky Chickpeas

Name: Baked Spaghetti Squash with Garlicky Chickpeas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 piece Spaghetti Squash (1 medium spaghetti squash, (2 3/4 to 3 pounds)); 0 pieces Kosher Salt (kosher salt, for seasoning); 0 pieces Black Pepper (fresh cracked black pepper, to taste); 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil — up to 2); ½ cup Pecorino Cheese (1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese); 3 tbsp Olive Oil (3 tablespoons olive oil); 1 cup Yellow Onion (1 to 2 onions thinly sliced to yield 1-2 cups — up to 2); 4 cloves Garlic (4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced); 0 pieces Red Pepper Flakes (pinch crushed red pepper flakes); 2 cup Chickpeas (2 cups cooked chickpeas in their cooking liquid); 0 pieces Sea Salt (flaky sea salt for finishing)

Roasted spaghetti squash tossed with olive oil and Pecorino, served with a savory chickpea stew simmered with caramelized onions and garlic.

70 minItalian

Servings2

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Vegetarian
Gluten Free
Pescatarian
Halal

Steps

1Heat oven to 350ºF. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
2Halve the spaghetti squash crosswise and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy yellow strands, then discard. (See notes in post and above for how to cut open a spaghetti squash.)
3Season the flesh with a pinch of salt & pepper then place the squash cut side down on the prepared pan.
4Bake until the flesh can be easily pierced with a fork, 55 to 60 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. UPDATE: I now roast my squash at 350ºF for 45 minutes. The squash will not be knife tender. This shorter cook period yields firmer strands, which I like. If you have made this recipe in the past and have liked it, keep doing what you like, but otherwise, try cooking it for 45 minutes. Note: With this shorter cooking period, the squash will not be knife or fork tender when you remove it from the oven.
5Using a fork, gently pull the squash flesh from the sides and scrape into a bowl; it will separate into spaghetti-like strands.
6Add olive oil, Pecorino Romano, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Toss well and serve immediately, or to make the chickpeas, continue on.
7To make the chickpeas: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring every so often, till they begin to caramelize, 7 to 1o minutes. Add the garlic and pepper flakes to taste, and cook for a minute more. Add the chickpeas and 2 cups of cooking liquid and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 10 minutes or until chickpeas begin breaking down. Taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add liquid as needed to keep the chickpeas somewhat brothy.
8To serve. Spoon chickpeas into a bowl. Top with a spoonful of spaghetti squash. Use a microplane to shave more Pecorino over top. Serve, passing more salt and pepper on the side.