QUICHE DE CALABAZA CULEBRA (snake squash quiche - gourd)

Here I am on the way to an annual Luau party to help special needs children.  We pass a very big vegetable/fruit market and I spot this humongous green thing that looked to me to be a zucchini. It was a snake squash. Ten blocks past the market, I ask my most patient husband to turn back so I can look at it closer and maybe purchase it.  He makes a u-turn as his face starts to turn red and we head back.  I ask "are you upset?" and he tells me "no", but I knew that in the inside he was saying something that cannot be printed. 

I was so excited that I could not wait to see what I could come up with.

I also had in my fridge 2 cups of fresh ricotta, leeks, Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. I cut up part of the snake and kept the rest for later use.

Ingredients:

Makes 2 quiches

2 cups of ricotta
1 cup of milk
1-1/2 cups of grated Parmesan cheese
6 eggs
6 to 8 basil leaves, chopped
10 sprigs of parsley, chopped
3-4 sprigs of thyme
1 small jar of plain artichoke hearts, chopped
2 medium size zucchini, sliced
2 leeks, sliced thinly (light green part only)
4 small tomatoes, sliced
3 garlic cloves sliced
nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste
2 prepared pie shells
4 tablespoons of virgin olive oil

Directions:

Heat oil in a pan and add your leeks, garlic until wilted. Continue to add the zucchini and artichoke hearts until tender, let cool. Once cooled, mix in with your cheese, milk, eggs, herbs. Pour into pie shells and top with sliced tomatoes. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until set.











snake squash