February 8, 2009

Candied Spaghetti Squash

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candied with light-colored honey


candied with darker-hued chestnut honey

The giant Mallorcan ensaimada featured on the PBS show SPAIN On The Road Again with Mario Batali is filled with candied spaghetti squash which in Spanish is called cabello de angel (angel's hair). The baker says he cooks the squash with sugar, honey, and lemon zest into a paste. He stretches the ensaimada dough really thin just like strudel, spreads lard all over, places the squash on one long end before rolling tightly into a log, coils into a snail shape, and lets the coil rise for 12 hours. When Mario took a bite of the ensaimada and proclaimed it was the best pastry he has ever eaten I just had to make this sweetened squash.


I've cooked spaghetti squash before and I like that it does not get mushy, retains its vermicelli shape, and it stays a little bit crunchy even after it's cooked. Candied, it has a slight chestnutty flavor that is milder than kabocha. I used the light-colored candied squash as topping for Danish pastry and the second to fill the Mallorcan-style ensaimada I made a few days ago. I stretched the dough as much as I could which is not difficult to achieve resulting in an ensaimada that has a very flaky crunchy crust and the softest crumb. I agree with Mario, this ensaimada is delicious, so heavenly delicious. I love them more than the egg and butter loaded Filipino ensaimada which is closer to brioche than to Mallorcan ensaimada.


small size ensaimada


Danish pastry topped with a scoop of candied squash

Ensaimada adapted from THE CUISINES OF SPAIN by Teresa Barrenechea
Makes three 8-inch diameter coils

2½ teaspoons instant yeast
2/3 cup whole milk, heated to lukewarm
3½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
6 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for oiling rolling pin, work surface, and baking sheets
½ cup lard (do not use butter)
½ cup confectioner's sugar for dusting
  • In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/3 cup of the warm milk and let stand for 5 minutes. In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the remaining milk, eggs, olive oil, and the yeast mixture and mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Replace paddle with dough hook and knead on medium for 4 to 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic film, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
  • Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Oil a work surface, a rolling pin and 3 baking sheets. Roll out 1 portion into a 12 x 6-inch rectangle. Spread lard and fold in half lengthwise. Spread lard and fold again in half lengthwise. Roll again into a 12 x 6-inch rectangle and starting from a long side roll up into a tight 12-inch cylinder. Shape it into a snail-like coil. Repeat with the 2 remaining dough portions.
  • Place the coils on the oiled sheets, cover with plastic film and let rise at room temperature overnight or at least 12 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the coils for 30 minutes, or until they are airy and golden. Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks. Dust with confectioner's sugar and cut into segments just before serving.
Previous ensaimada entries are here and here.

8 comments:

Sidney said...

Looks delicious... sometimes I am really amazed that you cook/bake all those things in your blog... you are a cooking encyclopedia ! ;-)

Lori Lynn said...

Definitely the most interesting dish I laid eyes on today. You are very inspiring!
LL

eatingclubvancouver_js said...

That looks phenomenal! Man, that looks so good I want it now.

Anonymous said...

Oh my, oggi. That looks just incredible! Who knew spaghetti squash could be used for more than just spaghetti?

sweet delight said...

Please one question, can you substitute the lard with crisco shortening?

Oggi said...

Thanks all!:)

Cookienurse, I can't recommend Crisco because the texture and taste won't be the same. If you are a vegan, it's best to use either light olive oil or grapeseed oil but then the texture might be different.:)

Unknown said...

No crisco please!!! and this recipe is missing the 20 hours leavening/fermenting time after the rolling... It is crucial to develop flavor.

Oggi said...

Unknown,

The recipe doesn't use Crisco and I specifically told one reader NOT to use Crisco so I don't know what you are talking about. The recipe says to leave the shaped dough OVERNIGHT or at least 12 hours. You can let it rise for 20 hours if you like or write to the author of the book, Teresa Barrenechea, if you don't agree with the rising time she suggested.

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