The patty pan squash (in French: le pâtisson) is a member of the blended summer squash family. Shaped very much like a UFO with undulating edges — each bump a tiny co*ckpit with an alien inside, presumably –, it can be conical or squat, and comes in shades of yellow, green, or white. The flesh inside is the color of clotted cream, its heart studded with edible seeds like the center of a zucchini.
Like all summer squash, the patty pan squash is best eaten when young and small. I prefer patty pans that are no larger than the palm of my hand, with a buttery and subtly sweet taste and faint artichoke notes.
If you do find such specimens — at the farmers market or perhaps in your CSA share –, make sure you use them soon after bringing them home: in my experience, they don’t keep as well as your average zucchini, and their skin mottles after a couple of days.
(If you’re only able to find bigger ones, I recommend you make this wonderful patty pan squash soup with pesto.)
Small patty pan squashes don’t need to be peeled: they can just be cut into slices or sections, and steamed, sautéed, braised, grilled,or roasted. It is also traditional to stuff them, which I’m sure is lovely, but also a tad more involved than I’m ready for these days.
Making roasted patty pan squash
What I like to make with the patty pan squashes that cross my path is this warm-to-cold salad, a summer counterpart to one of my favorite winter salads: patty pan squash segments roasted till golden, al dente chickpeas, and a slick dressing of herbs and anchovies whizzed together with lemon peel and olive oil. I like to eat it on its own for a light yet filling lunch, but it can also be served as a side to roast chicken or grilled fish.
Any patty pan inspiration of your own to share?
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Roasted Patty Pan Squash and Herbed Chickpeas Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side
Ingredients
- 140 grams (3/4 cup) dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water for 12 hours and rinsed
- 750 grams (1 2/3 pounds) baby patty pan squash, about six 8-cm (3-inch) specimens
- olive oil
- salt
- a dozen stems chives
- 1 small handful fresh cilantro
- 8 leaves fresh mint
- 4 anchovies packed in oil, drained (substitute 1 tablespoon rinsed capers if you prefer)
- a good pinch cayenne pepper
- one strip lemon peel from an organic lemon
- 2 teaspoons verjuice or lemon juice
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the soaked and rinsed chickpeas in a saucepan, add cold water to cover by about 2-3 cm (1 inch), and bring to a simmer over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until the chickpeas are tender but not mushy. As the chickpeas cook, add a little more water if the level runs low, and skim any foam or impurities that may rise to the surface. Let cool to room temperature in the cooking liquid, then drain.
- (The chickpeas may be cooked up to a day ahead. Once at room temperature, cover and transfer to the fridge, still in the cooking liquid. Alternatively, you can use canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and drained again; you'll need about 2 cups.)
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Cut off the stem and root ends of the patty pan squashes, and cut each of them into 8 sections. Place the sections in a baking dish large enough to accomodate them in a single layer, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. Roast for 30 minutes, until cooked through and browned in places. Let cool.
- While the patty pan squash is roasting, combine the herbs, anchovies, cayenne pepper, lemon peel, verjuice, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil in the bowl of a mini-chopper, and pulse until more or less smooth. (Alternatively, you can chop the herbs and anchovies finely by hand, and combine the dressing in the salad bowl.)
- Toss the cooled and drained chickpeas with the herb dressing in a salad bowl, and let rest in the refrigerator. When the patty pan squash is cooled, arrange the segments on each plate, and top with the dressed chickpeas. (You can also toss everything together in the salad bowl, but the sections of patty pan may get a bit squooshed then; it doesn't matter from a gustatory perspective, but it will be a bit less presentable.)
https://cnz.to/recipes/vegetables-grains/roasted-patty-pan-squash-and-herbed-chickpeas-recipe/
Unless otherwise noted, all recipes are copyright Clotilde Dusoulier.
This post was first published in August 2009 and updated in August 2017.
FAQs
They're very similar to zucchini but a tiny bit sweeter. Pattypan squash tastes best when young and small, you let them grow too much and they'll taste like a potato.
Do you peel patty pan squash before cooking? ›
Yes! Unlike butternut squash or spaghetti squash, the skin of a patty pan squash is edible. Like summer squash and zucchini, you do not need to peel patty pan squash, you can leave the skin on.
What is the best variety of patty pan squash? ›
Patty Pan Squash Varieties
Favored for its light green color, vigorous 'Benning's Green Tint' has been around for a century, and it is a favorite among seed savers. Also worth seeking out are old French varieties like 'Patisson Panache Verte et Blanc' (1856) or 'Jaun et Verte', which are white when young and tender.
What is patty pan squash good for? ›
Yes, patty pan squash is a good vegetable to eat if you have diabetes or are trying to lose weight or avoid gaining weight. As a non-starchy vegetable, one cup of sliced patty pan squash before cooking has only 18 calories, 4 g of carbohydrates, and just over 1 gram of protein and fiber.
Why is my patty pan squash bitter? ›
Cucurbits contain a group of chemicals called cucubitacins. It is these cucurbitacins that are responsible for squash that is bitter tasting. The higher the levels of cucubitacin, the more bitter the squash will taste.
Can you eat patty pan squash skin? ›
Certainly I know you can eat the skin on summer squashes, like zucchini, pattypan and yellow summer squash. With their thin skin and watery flesh, leaving the skins on helps give summer squash a pleasantly chewy texture.
Do you eat the seeds in patty pan squash? ›
As a general guide, you can treat patty pan squash as similar to zucchini. The skin and seeds are edible (and in fact, a lot of the nutrients are concentrated in the skins). Small patty pan squash will have pretty thin and tender skin, so no peeling required, making them fairly easy to prepare!
Why is it called patty pan squash? ›
In France, scallop squash are called patisson, which in Provence is a word for a scallop-edged mold used to bake cakes. The rest of the name means “yellow and green plume” for the colorful variegated markings found on the mature rind. This bush-type variety is a prolific producer. The more you pick, the more it grows.
How big should I let patty pan squash get? ›
Check the days to maturity for the variety of pattypans you are growing, but most types are ready to harvest in 45 to 70 days. The fruits can start to be picked when they are about 2 inches in diameter and they will remain tender until they reach a 4-inch diameter. Each squash weighs less than 1 pound.
What is another name for patty pan squash? ›
Patty pan squashes are also known as cymling's, custard marrows or custard squashes. The word cymling comes from old English term for a simnal cake, which is fluted.
Small to medium pattypan squash really can be treated like zucchini. The skin is thin and the seeds are small enough you can slice and cook however you would like. You can pickle, saute, grill, or even bake pattypan squash with an egg inside. They're super versatile vegetables.
Should patty pan squash be refrigerated? ›
Pattypan squash will keep for a few days stored in the fridge, unwashed and sealed in plastic. The smaller the squash, the sooner it should be used.
Is patty pan squash healthy? ›
Eating Patty Pan squash gives you a lot of nutrients. These vegetables are 90% water, have 18 calories per 100g, and contain no cholesterol or saturated fat. In addition, it's got 1.2g of protein and also contains: Calcium.
How do you cut up a patty pan squash? ›
Prep the Squash:
Trim the tops and bottoms from 1 pound patty pan squash, then halve each squash. Cut each half into 3/4-inch-wide wedges.
Does patty pan squash taste like yellow squash? ›
You'll find them in a variety of colors – dark green, light green, yellow, or a mix – but they all have a similar texture and taste. Their flavor is close to that of yellow squash, but they have firmer, denser flesh. If you like zucchini, chances are you'll be a fan of patty pan squash too.
What is a good substitute for patty pan squash? ›
Don't have Patty Pan squash? Don't worry. You can substitute it with something else from the same family, such as zucchini or crookneck. You can even use chayote.
What is a patty pan squash similar to? ›
“Pattypan” is likely from its French name pâtisson. They are part of the range of summer squashes that have a variety of interesting shapes, from elongated necks to cute little hats with fluted edges, acorn squash and zucchini. They mostly all have a dense, spongy flesh.
