Pattypans are such a fun summer produce that I don’t think get enough credit for just how good they are. They look sort of like a round zucchini that got, well, squashed, with an interior similar to any other summer squash filling your fridge at the moment. Sometimes, pattypans are teensy tiny, others are about the size of your fist (the smaller ones have a sweet, buttery taste). But even the name “pattypan” sounds fun, don’t you think?
Since these can be hard to find in the off-season, I take advantage of them whenever they’re available. They’re so fresh that it doesn’t take much to create a delicious, nourishing meal with the squash—just some good olive oil, a few spices, and garlic will do the trick.
Ingredients
3 pattypan squash
2 yellow onions
1 red pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup uncooked farro
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon blackpepper
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Chop the pattypans into wedges, like you would a pizza. Each squash should yield eight wedges.
Slice the onion into ½” slices and chop the red pepper into 1” pieces. Place all of the chopped veggies in a large bowl.
Coat the vegetables in olive oil and season with salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Arrange in a flat layer on the baking sheet.
Roast the vegetables for 45 minutes, until golden brown.
Meanwhile, cook the farro according to the package instructions.
When the roasted vegetables are finished, add them back to the bowl and cut the onions with kitchen shears into 1” pieces.
Combine the farro and vegetables while the vegetables are still hot, then grate the garlic cloves into the bowl using a microplane (adding it to the warm bowl helps soften the garlic flavor).
Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the vegetables and top with parsley to serve.
