Spaghetti squash is a wonderful summer alternative to the heaviness of a pasta dish. This recipe calls for a tasty medley of  sautéed shallots, garlic, peas and a mix of grated Parmesan and Gruyere cheese. Add sliced sausage--you can use whatever type of sausage you prefer; I used 2 links of Italian hot sausage and 2 links of Mediterranean sausage (red pepper and kalamata olives). Serve this over a bed of spaghetti squash and serve with a glass of white wine or a chilled mug of beer.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash, Sausage, Peas and Cheese
Serves 4

Ingredients
    •    1 Spaghetti Squash
    •    2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
    •    4 links of Sausage (any kind you prefer)
    •    2 large Shallots, finely chopped
    •    4 cloves Garlic, crushed or finely minced
    •    1 cup of frozen peas
    •    1/8 cup of chopped pine nuts
    •    1 cup of Parmigiana Reggiano, coarsely grated
    •    1/4 cup of gruyere cheese, coarsely grated
    •    1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves
    •    8-10 large leaves of fresh basil cut into julienne strips
    •    Sea Salt and fresh Cracked Pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat Oven to 350°F. Oil a sheet pan with olive oil spray
• Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and any thick strands
• Place cut side down on the prepared sheet pan and cook for 45 - 60 minutes until a fork easily inserts into the shell. NOTE: Be sure not to overcook otherwise the squash strands will become "mushy". You want the spaghetti squash to easily separate when scraped with a fork and for the squash to be a bit firm (al dente).
• When cool enough to handle, take a fork and "rake" the squash with the fork to create spaghetti strands.  Place on a serving plate and set aside; cover to keep warm.
• Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Place the four sausage links into the hot skillet and pierce each one twice with a fork. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the sausage.
• Add shallots and garlic to the sausage and push to the bottom of the pan. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the sausage are fully cooked. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside
• Add the peas to the onion/garlic mixture and cook for a few minutes. Add chopped walnuts or pine nuts and thyme leaves and mix together cooking for another two minutes. Turn off the heat and add the grated cheese on top, set aside.
• Slice the sausage into 1/2" slices.

Plating the Dish

• Place the spaghetti squash strands on your serving dish.
• Top with julienne strips of fresh basil
• Add sausage slices on top of the squash
• Top with the garlic, shallot, pea, cheese mixture
• Add sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Do not add too much salt as sausage can sometimes be salty. Serve immediately.