Italian Squash (Cucuzzi)

Two kinds shown here.  The long one is over 5 feet long (yes, i said that).    The skin is tough, sometimes, but it is edible so this belongs to the summer squash classification rather than a tough, heavy skin, which is winter squash.

 Traditionally served with a meatloaf filling,  i had to try something different and went with sausage.

1 long or 2 short squash

1 pound of sausage (in casing or without

toasted fennel seed

3 cloves garlic, sliced

fresh rosemary, minced fine.

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Parmesan

cheese to sprinkle on top

Cut the squash into 4 inch lengths and core out the seeds, leaving a hole for the sausage.

boil the squash separate from the seeds, adding a teaspoon of salt to the water.

Boil the squash seeds with the sausage (if in casing) and garlic, fennel and rosemary with one teaspoon salt.

Otherwise fry the sausage and add the fat to the seeds.

After bringing the squash to a boil and the squash has become slightly darker, remove it from the water.

discard the water.

continue reducing the squash seed liquid until there is less than 1/2 of liquid.

Stuff the squash with sausage and place in a baking pan.

Pore squash seeds and liquid into the pan and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes

Remove from the oven and serve with Parmesan cheese over top of the squash (either whole or halved)