Spaghetti Squash with Spinach and Chickpeas

After a week of combing squash piles whenever I was at the market, I got my spaghetti squash.  Then I had to decide what to make with it.  Having already blown my best idea on the acorn squash, I got out the rest of the chickpeas and made this.

The spinach part of this dish is basically Spanakopita filling, so I topped it with feta.  You can make this vegan by omitting the cheese and using plant-based margarine instead of butter.  I opted against a sauce because spaghetti squash isn't pasta, and doesn't really take well to a heavy sauce.  A drizzle of herbed butter or oil is all it needs.

I'm using frozen spinach intentionally.  It has a different moisture content than a similar weight of fresh spinach.  Plus, it's tons easier to prepare.  I wasn't in the mood to wash, sort, and chop a bundle of fresh spinach, just to have to cook it longer to reduce the moisture.

*1 C dry chickpeas (or one can, drained)
1 spaghetti squash (2-3 lbs)
*1/2 C diced onion
*2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 Tb butter or margarine
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 lb frozen leaf spinach, thawed
4 oz feta
1/4 C toasted pine nuts for garnish

1.  The day before, start the chickpeas.  Soak in water to cover by 2" for 12-16 hours.  Chickpeas take a long time to hydrate.  Drain, refill pot with water to cover by 1", and bring to a simmer.  Salt the water to taste.  Cover and simmer beans for 2 hours.  Or, you can drain and rinse a can of them if you didn't plan ahead.  It's a texture thing with me.  I wanted the beans firmer.

2.  Prepare the squash.  Preheat oven to 400º.  Wash squash and puncture in several places so it doesn't explode.  Set on a lined baking sheet (in case of moisture leaks) and roast 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, turning halfway through.  Squash is done when a fork easily pierces the skin, but it isn't so soft that it's collapsing.  Set aside to cool a bit while you prepare the filling.

3.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add thawed spinach, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until warmed through, then fold in drained chickpeas.  Drizzle with a tablespoon of oil.  Keep warm while you finish the squash.

4.  There are two ways to cut a spaghetti squash.  The grain of the fibers is around the equator.  If you cut it longways, it's easier to scrape out the seeds without also getting the meat, but the strands will be shorter.  I cut it along the equator to get the longer strands and used an ice cream scoop to pull out the seeds and their strings.  (You can wait for the steam to stop.  Bakers have few nerve endings in their fingers.)  Use some kind of a scoop or spoon for this part, as a fork will start to pull the flesh.  If you've fully cooked the squash, the fibers just pull right off with a fork until you're left with only skin and a bowl full of noodle-ey flesh.  Discard skin, seeds (unless you want to toast them) and the little fibers.  Drizzle noodles with a touch of oil.  Unlike pasta, they won't stick together later.  The oil here is like salad dressing.

5.  Fill serving bowl with the squash noodles and top with spinach mix, crumbled feta, and pine nuts. Serve hot.

Difficulty rating  :)