Bacon - Maple Squash Spaetzle Side Recipe

Chef Bill Telepan’s eponymous restaurant, Telepan, opened on the Upper West Side of New York in December of 2005, following the release of his successful cookbook, Inspired by Ingredients, in 2004. Before opening his own restaurant, Chef Telepan worked under Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque, Gilbert Le Coze at Le Bernardin, and Alfred Portale at Gotham Bar & Grill.

Ingredients For the Squash:
• 2/3 cup of roasted butternut squash from the bottom of a squash (see directions)

Preparation For the Squash:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Salt squash and place skin side down on a baking sheet. Cover the bottom of the baking sheet with water. Cover squash with aluminum foil and bake until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool.

3. Scoop out the flesh into a strainer. Squeeze out excess moisture from the squash in batches (but don’t completely dry the squash out). Pass through a food mill into a large bowl and measure out 2/3 cup of the squash.

Ingredients For the Spaetzle:
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/3 cup of milk
• Approximately 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• 4 ounces of small diced bacon
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup squash, peeled and diced (you can use the top of a butternut squash)
• 1 tart apple, peeled and diced small

Preparation For the Spaetzle:
1. To make the spaetzle, mix together the eggs, yolk, and milk. Add squash and blend together with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth. Whisk in flour and salt and let rest a few minutes.

2. Set up an ice water bath. Place a colander over a pot of lightly salted boiling water. Scoop in half of the mix and press through the holes into the water using a rubber spatula until all the mix is in. Remove colander and when the water returns to a boil, cook the spaetzle for one minute.

3. Scoop spaetzle from the water into the ice bath and chill for a few minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. When fully chilled (5-7 minutes in the ice bath) drain and drizzle with a little vegetable oil to hold.

4. Place the bacon and oil in a large sauté pan and on medium heat, cook the bacon to crisp. Add the butter and when bubbly, add the diced squash and cook to a golden brown color, approximately 5 minutes. Add the spaetzle and brown, toss in apple and cook an additional minute.

Ingredients For the Maple Glaze:
• 2 ounces white wine vinegar
• 2 ounces of white wine
• 2 ounces of maple syrup

Preparation For the Maple Glaze:
1. Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat until the glaze reaches the consistency of maple syrup.

2. Drizzle Maple Glaze over Spaetzle.

This Side recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart Living Radio Thanks giving Hotline Recipes 2010 - p36'.