Delicata Squash with Jimmy Nardello Agrodolce

I’ve never met a…

delicata squash that I didn’t like. In my humble opinion, it’s truly just the best squash ever. Like you don’t even need to do anything to it and it just roasts itself up all nice and golden brown and caramelized and delicious. Mmm! I literally can eat it like candy, it’s that good!

So, while delicata squash clearly needs no help to taste good, today’s recipe just really takes its deliciousness to the next level by pairing the roasted squash with a sweet and tangy agrodolce made with Jimmy Nardello peppers. I meaaan…..so many favorite incredible flavors all in one! I can hardly contain my excitement to share this recipe with y’all! And the best part is that it’s super simple to make. It’s also easy to double or triple the recipe and/or make the agrodolce ahead of time. In other words, yes, it would be perfect to serve at a fall dinner party, or make for a Thanksgiving side dish.

WHAT IS AGRODOLCE?

Ok, so the big question of the day (er, um, of this post) is what exactly is agrodolce? Well, besides being the most delicious sauce EVER, which is really all you need to know, here’s a little bit more about it. It’s an Italian (Yup, like me!) sauce-meets-condiment that is tangy and tart and sticky and sweet. The name “agro”, meaning “sour” in Italian, and “dolce” meaning “sweet” in Italian could not be more spot on to how it tastes. This sweet and sour mixture is made by reducing vinegar (the agro) with honey or sugar (the dolce). Yes, it’s really as simple as just two ingredients. However, a lot of times you’ll see things like raisins and peppers added in (as is the case with today’s recipe). And the best part is that it tastes good on just about everything- squash, broccolini, sweet potatoes, meats, literally allllll the things. Personally, as a big fan of vinegar (Yes, I’m one of those weirdos that actually likes to drink vinegar…), this sauce has been life changing for me (shout-out to one of my Instagram friends for introducing me!). Ultimately, all’s I’m saying is make this sauce. Put it on everything. Thank me later.

WHAT IS DELICATA SQUASH?

If you’re not familiar with delicata squash, and I haven’t already made it pretty obvious, delicata squash is basically the best squash out there, and really the only squash that matters. Ha! Ok, but really, it’s a variety of winter squash with, as the name might suggest, delicate skin. Yes, you can eat the skin so no, you should not peel it off. It appears creamy yellow in color with dark green stripes down the sides. It’s available early fall through winter, and you should be able to find it at a local farmer’s market, grocery store, or, my favorite place to get it (because it’s so affordable), Trader Joe’s.

WHAT ARE JIMMY NARDELLO PEPPERS?

Jimmy Nardello peppers are, you guessed it, another favorite of mine (I truly wasn’t kidding before when I said this recipe includes all of my favorite flavors). They’re long and slender Italian chili peppers that are incredibly mild and sweet in flavor, with almost no spice or heat. You can find them summer through early fall, usually at a local farmer’s market, or you can check an Eataly if you live near one. They taste especially amazing sautéed and added on top of pizza or mixed into pasta dishes, and pair well with things like sausage, mussels, onions, corn and peaches, just to name a few. I specifically chose these peppers for today’s recipe, not only because they’re a favorite of mine and I’m always looking for more ways to use them, but also because they’re Italian, and, well, this is an Italian recipe, so you know it just kind of makes sense (or, at least in my Italian mind it does! Ha!). But, if you can’t find Jimmy Nardello’s, or you want to make this recipe when they aren’t in season, don’t fret. You can easily sub in other peppers, and I even give you a few substitution suggestions in the notes of the recipe.

So now that we have all the questions answered, let’s make some squash and agrodolce, shall we?

INGREDIENTS

• 2 delicata squash, about 1 pound each, sliced into 1/4” rounds (optional- seeds removed, see notes)

• Olive oil

• Sea salt

• 1 1/2 cups apple cider or red wine vinegar

• 3/4 cup honey

• 2 large Jimmy Nardello peppers, thinly sliced

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, add for an extra kick)

• 2 tablespoons raisins (black or golden)

• 1/4 cup smoked almonds, roughly chopped

• Fresh thyme

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Arrange delicata slices in a single layer on two large baking sheets. Generously drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes, using tongs to flip the squash slices over halfway through baking.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the vinegar, honey, Jimmy Nardello slices and seeds, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Let it continue boiling and bubbling for a few minutes, then reduce the heat and continue to simmer until the mixture is thick and syrupy about 10-15 minutes (the mixture should be reduced to a little less than half, and be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon). Stir in the raisins, then remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

4. Transfer the squash to a serving dish. Drizzle the agrodolce on top, then sprinkle with the chopped almonds and fresh thyme. Enjoy!

NOTES

• If you don’t have, or don’t like delicata squash, the agrodolce tastes just as delicious on any other squash as well as broccolini, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and, well, really just about any and everything else!

• To make this recipe vegan, simply swap out the honey for granulated or brown sugar.

• Feel free to use marcona almonds, or toasted almonds, in place of the smoked almonds.

• I like to include the delicata squash seeds as they roast up nicely and I think that adds a little extra crunch to the final dish, but if you’re not a fan, feel free to remove and discard them. Similarly, I like to include the Jimmy Nardello seeds in my agrodolce sauce for ease and a little extra flavor, but feel free to discard of them instead.

• Jimmy Nardello peppers can be tricky to track down in some place, and they also have a short season, so, if you’re unable to find them, feel free to use 1/2 a red bell pepper, finely diced, OR 1 red fresno chili pepper, finely diced, OR 2 cherry bomb peppers, finely diced, OR 2 tablespoons minced calabrian chilis. If you opt to go any route other than the red bell pepper,, omit the red pepper flakes, as all the other peppers pack enough of a punch all on their own.