Exploding Spaghetti Squash: It’s like Dinner & a Show!

Meet my nemesis, the Spaghetti Squash.  Looks innocent, doesn’t he? Well don’t let that sunny yellow exterior fool you. This vegetable has suicidal tendencies.

I was only trying to gently steam the squash from the inside out.  I poked the requisite number of holes in its tough exterior. Honest!

I spend a lot of time in restaurants these days, so when I am home for dinner, I try to pay particular attention to what we’re eating.  I was also recently inspired by  an awesome book by Tim Ferriss, The 4-Hour Body, and consequently we have been eating fewer processed carbohydrates these days.  Hence the squash-subsitution for actual spaghetti!

Spaghetti sauce is so easy and fast to make- just a can of (really good) tomatoes, plus some sauteed garlic and whatever spices you like.  Last night I went with a heavy dose of red pepper, some home-dried oregano, anchovies and capers.

I figured with this level of spicy and briny, salty umami the wine would need to be earthy, with a nice level of acidity.  After digging through my (disorganized mess of a) wine cellar, I unearthed a 2003 Russo Ceppitaio.  Oh yeah!

The Russo winery is located in Val di Cornia, within the hills of Suvereto.  They are close to the sea, and have quite a bit of volcanic soil which is truly evident in the wine’s ashy, smoky undertones.  This is sangiovese country, people!

The Ceppitaio is 55% Sangiovese, with the balance being a blend of Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Cannaiolo, Merlot and Cabernet.  It has the bright acidity and violet perfume of a Sangiovese, with a rustic earthiness from the Ciliegiolo.  This bottle had a few years of age on it, and it was showing some really intriguing “sotto-bosco” or “forest floor” aromas of dried oak leaves and porcini mushrooms.  It was the perfect accompaniment to our tomato-sauce-over-exploding-spaghetti-squash.

Delicious.  Oh, and for all you Tim Ferriss junkies out there, relax.  We added a couple of eggs to amp up the protein quotient.