Roasted Butternut Squash with White Beans and Crispy Proscuitto
For a simple dinner, I often sprinkle rosemary leaves over roasted butternut squash. This is the salad version, with warm, rosemary vinaigrette as a binder for squash, peppers, white beans, baby greens and thin, crisped prosciutto.
Serves 6 to 8
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1 onion, cut into thin slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 ounce prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 (15.5 ounce) can navy or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 handfuls baby spinach, arugula or field greens
8 pepperoni peppers, sliced into rounds
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup Rosemary Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Place the squash and onion on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle with the rosemary, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place in the oven to roast until the squash is tender and golden around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
3. While the squash is cooking, heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet until sizzling hot, add the prosciutto and cook until crispy on both sides, about 1 minute. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain.
4. When the squash and onions are cool enough to handle place in a large bowl with the beans, add the greens, peppers, parsley and half the vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper and toss to mix. Crumble the crispy prosciutto over the top and serve warm or room temperature with the additional vinaigrette on the side.
Rosemary Vinaigrette
Makes about 1 cup
Combine 1/3 cup white wine vinegar, zest and juice of 1 lemon, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary and 1 teaspoon paprika in a small bowl and stir to mix thoroughly. Add 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a slow steady stream until all is incorporated. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and store refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use for up to one week.