Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Sage

I love spaghetti squash, as long as its cooked completely. And it has been surprisingly difficult for me to master this skill. Finally I've been able to accomplish consistent results by roasting the squash for an hour and 15 minutes, or a little longer if the squash is quite large. Since this is winter squash season, here is my favorite way to prepare spaghetti squashes.

This particular squash came from our garden--one of our many volunteers.

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Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Sage

Source: Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs)
3 T unsalted butter
1 T minced fresh sage leaves (or about 1 teas dry)
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. I cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, spray a baking sheet, and place the squash halves on the sheet. The original recipe recommends baking the entire squash on a baking sheet after making several slits with a paring knife. Either way, bake until a skewer glides easily through the flesh, about 1 1/4 hrs.

Melt the butter in a small, light-colored or shiny skillet over medium heat. When the butter stops foaming, add the sage leaves and cook until they release their flavor into the butter and the butter has turned golden brown, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat.

If you baked the squash whole: slice the squash in half lengthwise, and scrape out and discard the seeds with a spoon. Drag a fork through the flesh to pull the strands of squash away from the skin. Place the squash strands in a large bowl. Toss with the sage butter and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.