Patty Pan Squash
How to store:
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Store summer squash by gently wiping the fruit clean with a damp cloth and then placing it in a perforated plastic bag (to maintain humidity) in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator.
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Do not store summer squash in the refrigerator for more than 4 days.
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Avoid storing summer squash at temperatures below 50°F; the fruit is susceptible to chilling injury at temperatures below 50°F; chilling injury symptoms include surface pitting, water loss, yellowing, and decay.
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Summer squash can be frozen for use in bread and soups: peel, slice or cube, and blanch the fruit by placing the squash in a wire basket then plunge it into a large kettle of rapidly boiling water for three minutes; then cool the squash by plunging the basket into ice water for another three minutes; drain and pack the fruit in freezer containers. Frozen summer squash can be prepared for mealtime by boiling for three to five minutes until fork tender.
A favorite farm recipe:
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Ingredients
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10 large pattypan squash (4 to 6 inches wide)
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¼ teaspoon salt
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4 ounces chopped bacon (about 5 slices)
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1 pound ground beef
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½ cup chopped red onion
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1 tablespoon minced garlic
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8 ounces baby spinach
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2 large eggs, lightly beaten
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â…” cup cooked white rice
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½ teaspoon black pepper
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¼ cup chopped fresh dill, divided
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5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 ¼ cups)
Directions
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Step 1 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut off top third of each squash, and scoop out pulp, using a serrated corer or melon baller, leaving a 1-inch shell intact. Coarsely chop pulp; reserve 1 cup of chopped pulp, and discard remaining pulp. Place squash bowls in an 11- x 13-inch baking dish, and sprinkle with salt. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes.
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Step 2 - Place bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add beef to skillet, and cook, stirring to crumble, until starting to brown, about 6 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and reserved 1 cup chopped squash pulp to skillet, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in spinach; cover and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid is almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Transfer beef mixture to a medium bowl; cool 10 minutes.
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Step 3 - Stir eggs, cooked rice, pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the dill into beef mixture. Gently stir in cheese. Spoon mixture into baked squash bowls.
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Step 4 - Bake squash in preheated oven until tops begin to brown and squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle squash with remaining 1 tablespoon dill.
Patty pan squash can be green, yellow, or white. They taste like butternut squash.