The technique used to make this soup can be repeated for other soups, the seasonings—be they sweet or spicy—varied to suit your tastes. Although the soup is good without it, the cheese adds a flavor note that punctuates the natural sweetness of the squash.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

　　2 1/2 to 3 pounds winter squash

　　1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for the squash

　　6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

　　12 whole sage leaves, plus 2 tablespoons chopped

　　2 onions, finely chopped

　　Chopped leaves from 4 thyme sprigs or 1/4 teaspoon dried

　　1/4 cup chopped parsley

　　Salt

　　freshly milled pepper

　　2 quarts water or stock

　　1/2 cup Fontina, pecorino, or ricotta salata, diced into small cubes

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Brush the surfaces with oil, stuff the cavities with the garlic, and place them cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender when pressed with a finger, about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the 1/4 cup oil until nearly smoking, then drop in the whole sage leaves and fry until speckled and dark, about 1 minute. Set the leaves aside on a paper towel and transfer the oil to a wide soup pot. Add the onions, chopped sage, thyme, and parsley and cook over medium heat until the onions have begun to brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Scoop the squash flesh into the pot along with any juices that have accumulated in the pan. Peel the garlic and add it to the pot along with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. If the soup becomes too thick, simply add more water to thin it out. Taste for salt.

　　

Step 3

Depending on the type of squash you've used, the soup will be smooth or rough. Puree or pass it through a food mill if you want a more refined soup. Ladle it into bowls and distribute the cheese over the top. Garnish each bowl with the fried sage leaves, add pepper, and serve.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 330.0 calories

　　170.0 calories from fat

　　19.0g total fat

　　5.0g saturated fat

　　20.0mg cholesterol

　　180.0mg sodium

　　37.0g total carbs

　　8.0g dietary fiber

　　7.0g sugars

　　8.0g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison. Copyright © 2007 by Deborah Madison. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and The Savory Way, each earned the IACP's Julia Child Cookbook of the Year award. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone also received a James Beard Award, as did Local Flavors, her most recent book. She is also the author of the James Beard Award nominee This Can't Be Tofu! and The Greens Cookbook, which is now a classic. She lives in Galisteo, New Mexico.