Today I’m giving you a little inspiration for your Thanksgiving Day table, the holidays are right around the corner, so it’s time to start planning, can you believe it?
This deliciously creamy gratin combines three of my favorite winter squash, butternut, delicata and acorn.
They sit nice and pretty in a parmesan and garlic cream sauce and are adorned with crispy sage leaves, you couldn’t ask for a better combination of flavors!
Besides tasting over the top amazing, I love the presentation that happens by using the different squash shapes together.
I pre-roasted my squash a little, then layered them into a buttered casserole dish.
The cream sauce is made ahead of time then carefully spooned all around the squash slices being careful to leave some squash peeking through, that’s what makes the presentation so pretty.
It’s a show stopper for the holiday season when we’re all allowed to indulge a little!
Wouldn’t this be dreamy sitting next to your Turkey this year?
Proud Italian Cook is on Instagram, follow me there to see what I’m cooking up daily!
- 1 butternut squash, neck part only, skin removed, then cut into rounds
- 1 delicata squash, skin on, then sliced into rings, remove pulp and seeds
- 1 acorn squash, skin on, remove pulp and seeds, quarter it then make slices,
- cut all squash about ¼ inch slices, not too thick and not too thin
- 2 cups, heavy cream
- 2 handfuls of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2 finely grated garlic cloves, done on a microplane
- ¾ stick of unsalted butter
- 1 bunch of fresh sage leaves
- I pre- roasted all the squash just to make sure it wouldn't be hard, on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, just until al dente, where it still had a little bite.
- After they cool place squash into a buttered 13x9 casserole dish. (these first two steps can be done the day before and refrigerated overnight, before adding cream sauce.) If you do it the day before, take it out and get it to room temp, before adding sauce.
- TO MAKE THE CREAM SAUCE:
- In a small sauce pan on low flame, add butter and garlic, just until garlic is fragrant, not brown, then add cream, salt and pepper too taste.
- Simmer cream sauce just until the edges start to bubble, then turn off the heat and let it set up for a minute.
- Add the Parmigiano, stir well, then spoon the cream sauce all around the squash in casserole dish, leaving some of the squash exposed but spreading it all around and in between.
- Place casserole dish into a 450 degree oven until bubbly and nicely golden, keep checking.
- Garnish with crispy sage leaves, by melting a tablespoon or two of butter in a small pan, when butter is hot throw the leaves in and they will start to sizzle and get crispy, remove immediately.
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
What can you use instead of flour? It really looks good.
This recipe has no flour in it, heavy cream makes the sauce.
This recipe is SO rich but very yummy. I would say it serves 8. Don’t skip the crispy sage leaves; it really balances the flavors nicely! Next time I try it I’m going to remove some of the Acorn squash skin after roasting. Mine was a bit too thick to eat and I noticed others at Thanksgiving dinner cutting off the skin.
Vicky, You really can’t eat the skin on acorn, the delicata is the one you can eat. but the acorn skin comes off really easy on your plate with no problem. Yes it is rich but soon the holidays will be over and back to normal eating! (not soon enough for me)
Can you make this entirely the night before and just reheat in the oven before Thanksgiving dinner??
Yes you can Pam, just be careful and don’t overheat it and make sure you have enough cream sauce
Quick question: how many does it serve?
maybe 6? depending on what else you’ll be serving Maia
Definitely have to try this one. Thanks for sharing!
One other question, on your Gnocchi recipe with Kale or swiss chard, I see you recommend using a potato ricer. In the picture, you show one. I was wondering what brand that was? I am a big kitchen gadget fanatic and I need to go buy one.
Thanks.
Lori
This is my first time cutting squash. Is there an easier way?
Lori, Google, how to cut the 3 different squash, there are videos to show you how to do it safely, it’s worth watching them.
So I couldn’t wait for Thanksgiving to make this yummy dish. The day I got the email, I ran out that weekend and grabbed the ingredients. I roasted the squash the night before. That was the easy part. Cutting the darn things was the hardest and not gobbling down the squash was the other. I took it out the next day and brought to room temp and then made the rest. The word that describes this dish “AMAZING”. I served it on the side with a Garlic Herb Pork Loin dish I got from another recipe. According the my hubby and kids “awesome meal”. I will definitely be making this again and again.
Oh Lori, so glad you and your family liked it. Now be careful when you’re cutting the squash next time!
I will certainly be trying this one, I have two out of the three squash already!
I always bring something to my sister’s for Thanksgiving. Thank you for helping me pick my recipe for this year. I can not wait to try this.
This sounds wonderful, Marie, and perfect for the Thanksgiving table.
Magnificent!!! Bravissima!!!!! Encore!! Oops — I got carried away there. This is wonderful I love the taste of sage and I am pea green jealous again — your pictures are so vivid and gorgeous. I can’t wait to serve this up at our Thanksgiving table. I’ve been a little lazy with the squash 🙁 Seed it, bake it, chipotle or smoked paprika and then some sour cream. It tastes good but that is taking the easy way out. I need to get a little bit more creative. This is a wonderful start. Grazie for the inspiration and I’m with Linda — you should write a cookbook!!! Of course I’d want a signed copy 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend.
Marie – I came back to get another look and see that my original comment didn’t get posted. Not sure what happened but I just had to let you know how gorgeous this is. You are so creative. You need to write a cookbook!
Looks like the perfect side dish for any special autumn dinner, Marie. I’m so gald my sage plants are still going strong!
What a beautiful dish, we love squash I will be making this recipe for sure. I would like to substitute whole milk for the cream as cream is too rich for me. I wonder if I was to thicken the milk by adding a little flour to the butter and garlic before adding milk if that would be appropriate. I love your blog!
Absolutely, I see not problem with that Marjorie!
I can’t wait until the weather cools. What a great dish for a gathering.
You are the squash whisperer! I love them all!
This is absolutely stunning — almost too pretty to eat! I adore winter squash but I don’t experiment with the varieties enough, thanks for the inspiration 🙂