Zucca in Agrodolce, Sicilian Sweet-and-Sour Squash
Agrodolce, sweet-and-sour, is one of Sicily's signatures, a legacy of Arab cooking that turns up on eggplant, onions, and here on winter squash. In Palermo it is a street and market dish, fried squash steeped in vinegar and mint. Roasting the squash instead of frying gives the same caramelized sweetness with no oil, and it is that concentrated sweetness, plus a few raisins, that balances a good hit of red wine vinegar. Mint and a little cinnamon are the Sicilian signatures, and a pinch of chile keeps it from being one-note. It is meant to be made ahead and eaten at room temperature, which makes it an easy side to have waiting in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb Butternut squash, peeled and cut into half-inch slices
- 4 tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 3 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup Mint, torn
- 3 tbsp Raisins
- 1/4 tsp cassia cinnamon, ground
- 1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
Method
- Heat the oven to 450 F (230 C) and line a tray. Lay the squash slices out in a single layer and roast, turning once, until tender and browned at the edges, about 25 minutes. Roasting dry and hot caramelizes the squash and drives off water, giving the deep sweetness that stands up to the vinegar and needs no oil to get there.
- While the squash roasts, warm the vinegar, garlic, raisins, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes in a small pan over low heat for 2 minutes, just until it steams and the raisins plump. Gently warming the marinade softens the garlic's raw edge and lets the raisins swell into little pockets of sweetness.
- Layer the hot roasted squash in a shallow dish, spooning the warm vinegar mixture over each layer as you go, and grind black pepper over the top. Dressing the squash while both are hot is what lets it drink in the agrodolce rather than sitting on the surface.
- Scatter the torn mint over the top, then cover and leave at room temperature for at least an hour, or refrigerate overnight. Agrodolce is a dish that is made to wait: the sweet-and-sour balance settles and rounds out the longer it sits.
- Serve at room temperature. Taste first, and add a few drops more vinegar if the sweetness of the squash has taken over, since the sour side is what keeps it lively without salt.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 130 calories, 3 g protein, 5 g fiber, 30 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
