Sformato di Zucca

A sformato is not a soufflé. Americans confuse the two because both involve eggs and baking, but the resemblance ends there. A soufflé demands immediate attention, collapsing within minutes of leaving the oven. A sformato waits patiently. It can rest. It can be reheated. It rewards the cook who plans ahead.

The word means 'unmolded,' though you need not unmold it at all. In homes across Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont, sformati appear at Sunday tables and holiday gatherings, turned out golden and trembling from their dishes or served simply with a spoon. The technique is the same whether you use squash, spinach, artichokes, or cauliflower: roast or cook the vegetable until concentrated, bind it with eggs and Parmigiano, bake it gently until set.

What you keep out matters as much as what you put in. There is no béchamel here, though some recipes call for it. There is no cream sauce ladled over the top. The squash speaks for itself, sweet and earthy, with nutmeg and Parmigiano providing the only counterpoint. When your ingredients are this simple, each one must be perfect.