Cooking spaghetti squash in the microwave steams the squash and the strands come out nicely—unlike cooking it in a conventional oven, which can cause the strands to bake to the skin. A simple quick fresh pesto is a snappy sauce for the steamed squash.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1 (3- to 3 1/2-pound) spaghetti squash

　　1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves

　　2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Prick the squash in 3 or 4 places with a fork, put it on a plate, and loosely cover it with plastic wrap. Microwave at full power for 9 minutes. Let the squash stand, still covered, for another 5 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, make the pesto. Put the basil, cheese, oil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and pulse until well combined.

　　

Step 3

Halve the squash and scrape out the seeds. Using a fork, scoop the pulp into a large bowl. Add pesto to taste and toss to combine.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Dried Zante currants that have been soaked in red wine are a nice addition to this dish.

　　A Southerly Course