Italian Sausage, Cheesy Squash Bake and White Bean Mash

May 20 2015

I had some Italian sausage from my butcher and I had cheese to use up so I thought a yellow squash and some zucchini would make a good side. I had found a recipe for garlicky white bean mash that sounded good and I made it up early so all I had to do was microwave to heat. I knew the wife would not want any.

Cook 2 minced garlic cloves in olive oil until fragrant. Rinse and mix in a can of cannellini beans along with 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 15 minutes. Mash mixture with the juice of 1/2 lemon. Drizzle with olive oil and season with coarsely ground black pepper.

The squash dish I just made up, I sprayed a 7X11 Pyrex dish with olive oil. I sliced a yellow squash and a small zucchini in and arranged. I added a half of a small sweet onion chopped, some sliced tomatoes and sprinkled on some Italian blend seasoning. I added about 6 good spoonfuls of ricotta cheese and I topped it with a couple good handfuls of shredded Italian six cheese blend. That was my first layer.

 The dish was getting full so for the second layer I just did the squash, zucchini, the other half chopped onion, and seasoning. My cheese for this layer was half mozzarella, provolone and half six cheese Italian blend about 2 cups. I covered it well with some Panko breadcrumbs and drizzled olive oil over.

I had my Traeger preheated to about 325 deg. grill level and added the squash dish at 5:00. I then added the Italian sausage in a granite pan and poured one beer over. After about 40 minutes I took the sausage from the pan and on the grill to finish. I had wanted to brown them in the gasser but it was raining. I made a couple pieces of garlic bread with a ciabatta bun under the broiler. I took it all in to serve about 6:15.

It all tasted pretty well. My wife said she didn’t think she would like the squash but thought it tasted pretty good. I usually have mustard with sausage but I enjoyed some of the bean mash with each bite of sausage.

Garlicky bean mash

Squash, zucchini and onion added

Some ricotta cheese

Italian blend seasoning in

Adding the tomatoes and cheese

Top layer in and Panko breadcrumbs added

Italian sausage

In the smoker about 1/2 hour

About done

The sausage

Squash bake is done

My supper