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🥔 Side dishes

Butternut squash-polenta gratin

Golden, cheesy fall comfort for a crowd

⏱️ Time estimate: about 2 hours 10 minutes

Creamy Parmesan polenta enriched with mashed squash, topped with tender overlapping squash slices, then baked until bubbling and golden.

Golden baked vegetable gratin

Ingredients

  • 1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 quarts plus 2 cups water
  • 2 cups instant polenta
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions

  1. Roast the squash. Heat oven to 375°F and butter a 15-by-10-inch baking dish. Halve the bulb end, seed it, oil and season it, then roast cut-side down 30 minutes. Scoop out and mash the flesh.
  2. Slice the neck. Peel the squash neck, halve it lengthwise, and slice crosswise 1/8-inch thick. Oil two baking sheets, arrange slices, cover with foil, and bake 12 minutes. Reduce oven to 350°F.
  3. Make polenta. Bring water to a boil; add olive oil and whisk in polenta. Cook on low about 5 minutes, until thick. Whisk in mashed squash, 6 tablespoons butter, and 1 cup Parmesan; season.
  4. Assemble and bake. Spread polenta in the dish and overlap squash slices on top. Dot with remaining butter and Parmesan. Bake 1 hour, until bubbling and golden; rest 15 minutes before serving.

Make-ahead note: prepare through the assembly step, refrigerate for up to 5 days, then bring to room temperature before baking.

Adapted from Food & Wine.