Page 50 - Valley Table - September/Novemebr 2024

z Grated Butternut Squash with Orzo and Dill Sauce
Makes 4 servings
Rockaway, Queens, has some of the most memorable food I’ve ever eaten. It’s the home of my favorite New York slice at New Park Pizza, my favorite piña colada at Connolly’s
(not a food but still must be mentioned), and of course, Uma’s: a restaurant serving Uzbec food that is very dear to my heart.
My favorite thing on
the menu, hands down, is
the squash manti. Those dumplings, filled with grated butternut squash, onion, and
a ton of butter, were out of this world, and I still crave them constantly. Leaving the city,
I missed being able to get them regularly, but making dumplings from scratch in a tiny camper seemed like an absolute nightmare. So I made my own version. While it’s not a dumpling, I do use the same flavors—grated squash and plenty of onion and butter—and instead of the dough, there’s orzo. When I eat this orzo dish, I close my eyes and I almost kinda, sorta feel like I’m at Uma’s again after a day of surfing at Rockaway Beach.
INGREDIENTS
For the sauce:
1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill Kosher salt and freshly
cracked black pepper Olive oil for cooking
1 large white onion, diced 1 small butternut squash,
halved, seeded, peeled, and grated
2-3 cups cooked orzo, cooked according to package directions
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Preparation
1. To make the sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, and dill with a fork, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat a cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, coat the bottom with oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden and crispy, 10–15 minutes. Add the squash and cook, stirring often, until it is very tender, about 10 minutes longer.
3. Add the orzo and stir to
combine. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in
the butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 more minutes, to heat through and blend the flavors. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
4. Transfer the orzo mixture to a serving bowl. Serve immediately with the yogurt sauce spooned on top or in a small bowl on the side.
48 ValleyTable | September–November2024