Roasted Butternut Squash with Saba and Ricotta Salata
Saba (mosto cotto), a reduction of grape must, has a flavor similar to that of balsamic vinegar. It is a largely undiscovered treasure here in the states, but is commonly found in Italian pantries. Our ace recipe tester, Alison Ladman, came up with an easy recipe for a homemade version. You can also use aged balsamic vinegar that’s been reduced by half its volume. If no specialty grapes, such as Concord, are available, a mixture of red and white grapes works well too. A drizzle of this syrup brings out the sweetness of the roasted squash and beautifully offsets the saltiness of the drier ricotta salata cheese.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Saba
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Step 2
Place the squash on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Arrange the squash so that none of the pieces are touching.
Step 3
Roast until the squash is soft and golden brown around the edges, about 45 minutes.
Step 4
Remove the squash from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with the saba, crumble the ricotta salata over the squash, and sprinkle with the walnuts. Serve immediately.
Saba
Step 5
Place the grapes in a large pot and crush with a potato masher so that they release their juices. Add the rosemary and bring to a boil over medium heat (leave the seeds and stems in the pot). Cook the mixture, stirring and crushing frequently, until the grapes have completely broken down and lost their juices, about 15 minutes. Strain the contents through a fine-mesh sieve into a small pot. Make sure to squeeze all of the juice from the grapes (pressing with the back of a wooden spoon works well). Discard the seeds, stems, and rosemary.
Step 6
Bring the juices back to a boil over medium heat and slowly reduce until a syrupy consistency is reached (the liquid will coat the back of a metal spoon lightly), about 40 minutes. It is very easy to scorch the syrup, so test it frequently by drizzling it on a plate. If it has reduced too much, add a little water to reconstitute. The syrup will thicken significantly when it is cool.
