Delicata Parmesan Crisps | The perfect fall appetizer

Roasted delicata squash finished off with a crispy crunchy parmigiano reggiano center. Delicata parmesan crisps are the perfect starter or salty snack for your next gathering.

Appetizer Genius

This recipe was born out of an “aha” moment. One of those experiences where your genius sparks an idea that is not only original but amazing AF. And I am so happy about it. Except for the fact that I can’t stop eating these crunchy, sweet things.

If you’re just tuning in, I am smack dab in the middle of developing my dream Thanksgiving dinner menu , POP KITCHEN style. These delicata parmesan crisps are one of two appetizers that are all part of that dream along with dishes like shaved brussels sprout salad and autumn ratatouille .

Inspiration struck the other day while trying to develop an appetizer recipe for this blog. The idea I had wasn’t really working. I was feeling frustrated, stressed, and frankly a little sweaty from the experience when the idea hit. You see, I had just found some delicata squash at the grocery store that day. Delicata squash is a long cylindrical, pale fleshed summer squash (technically not winter) that has a tender edible skin and a sweet, mild flesh. It is yellow with super cute green stripes and tastes a bit like a sweet potato. I cut one end off the squash, scooped out the insides of the long narrow squash, and cut it into rings. I sautéed it and ate it for breakfast with an egg cooked in the middle. Divine!

Somewhere between yelling at my mom (the whole failed appetizer thing was making me particularly grouchy) and stuffing my face with the mediocre appetizer I had created, the idea of a thin roasted piece of delicata that was embedded in a crunchy parmesan crisp popped into my head.

Thank you my little helper genius!

Easy Peasy Delicata Parmesan Crisps

Thanksgiving is a tough job. If you volunteer to host dinner for such a holiday you will spend hours in the kitchen. It’s the meal where you put the spaghetti and meat sauce away and pull out all the stops. But these delicata parmesan crisps go all out while being so dang easy, which is almost an oxymoron.

Let me explain how these work. First, roast thinly sliced pieces of delicata squash for 20-25 minutes. Then, place a heaping tablespoon of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano on top. Bake another 4-6 minutes until the parmesan is melted and slightly golden. The end. Crispy crunchy delicata parmesan crips that is lacking in nothing.

The delicata is slightly sweet and mildy fruity. The crunchy parmesan is super nutty, creamy, and salty with that perfect crunchy snap. It’s the absolute perfect combo. Almost, dare I say, genius.

Invite POP KITCHEN to Thanksgiving

It’s a little rude to invite yourself to dinner. I apologize. But if you’re stuck in a rut for what to make for Thanksgiving, especially if you have some people with special diets showing up, let POP KITCHEN be your guide. I will have my full Thanksgiving menu up several weeks before (American) Thanksgiving to give you loads of time to plan. I, Stacy, will be available for all of your last minute Thanksgiving woes and issues. Just send me an email at stacy@popkitchenblog.com with your questions or send me a direct message over on Instagram to get quick feedback on your holiday feast.

Anything in particular you want to see or are curious about? Let me know! I will work something out for you.

SHARE THE #POPKITCHEN LOVE!

When you make these delicata parmesan crisps, at Thanksgiving or not, let me know! I absolutely love seeing your photos of POP KITCHEN recipes up on Instagram. Use the hashtag #popkitchen when you post photos of recipes you’ve made to your Instagram and tag @pop_kitch. I’ll share my favorite photos on POP KITCHEN’s account.

Like the recipe you’re seeing here? Tell your friends about it! Rate the recipe and share your thoughts and questions in the comments below. Your voice helps develop how POP KITCHEN moves forward, and your recommendation helps POP KITCHEN grow. Like POP KITCHEN on Facebook and follow along with all of my recipe inspiration on Pinterest !

Recipe

Delicata Parmesan Crisps | The perfect fall appetizer

Ingredients

• 1 delicata squash
• Non-stick cooking spray (coconut oil or ghee are preferable)
• 5 oz/141 g piece of parmigiano reggiano (pre-grated parmigiano often has an anti-caking agent which is not great for this recipe)

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 400 F/200 C/6 gas. Take a breathe and a sip of your favorite beverage. Put on a Kamasi Washington album. Breathe again. You can do this.
2. SLICE YOUR SQUASH: First, since you are eating the skin of this delicata squash, it’s a great idea to really clean it. Wash the outside of the delicata with hot water and soap, giving it a good loving scrub. Slice off one end of the squash, enough so that you are exposed to the seeds and can easily scoop them out. With a spoon, scrape out the insides of the squash You can save the seeds if you want to roast those as well. With a sharp chef’s knife, carefully slice along your squash so you are making ¼ inch/6 mm rings. They do not have to be perfect. If the ring is broken, the parmesan will hold it all together. Place the squash rings on two parchment paper lined baking pans and spray them with a little bit of non-stick cooking spray. You may have to do two batches depending how large your baking pans are. Stick the pans of squash in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Flip over the squash rings and bake an additional 10-12 minutes or until the squash is slightly golden and tender. Keep an eye on them those last couple minutes to be sure they are not burning at all. They should be ready to eat before putting on the parmesan.
3. ADD THE PARM: Freshly grated parmesan wins every time. Luckily, parmigiano reggiano is very easy to grate. Using either a microplane of the finest cheese shredder you have, shred your parm. Place a heaping tablespoon of parmesan in the center of each ring. Spread it out so that the entire ring is covered evenly (see photo above). Bake in the oven for 4-6 minutes, keeping a careful eye so that the cheese doesn’t burn. When it first melts the cheese will be creamy white. You want the cheese to be just slightly golden otherwise it will not be crispy. Take the delicata parmesan crisps out of the oven and allow them to cool for at least 5 minutes before taking it off the baking sheet. Serve immediately!