Stuffed Squash in Yogurt

Preparation

• Meat with Pine Nuts prepared and set aside
• Rinse and dry squash. With a knife, cut off stem and discard; shave off the brown skin on the bottom.
• Place squash in the palm of your left hand with the cut top facing you. Hold the corer in your right hand and push it from the cut top deep inside the squash. Turn the corer clockwise to loosen the pulp, then slowly pull the corer out and slide the squash pulp off the corer onto a plate. Re-insert the corer into the squash. Using a circular motion, remove as much pulp as possible from the sides and the bottom of the squash, leaving them 1/8 of an inch thick. Set aside cored squash in a large bowl.
• Finish coring the remaining squash; reserve the pulp if you would like to use it in an omelet.
• Rinse squash inside and out with water and drain.

Procedure

1. Hold a cored squash in one hand. Use the other hand to pick up the filling and stuff it through the opening at the top of the squash, leaving ½ inch empty at the top. To insure that the squash is well filled, place your thumb over the opening at the top and shake it several times in a downward motion. Look through the opening to determine if it needs more filling. Finish the remaining squash in the same way.
2. Melt clarified butter in a large skillet over high heat. Sauté filled squash for 2 minutes on each side, then add water and bring to a boil.
3. With a wooden spoon, gently turn the squash over; reduce heat to medium, and cook covered for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the yogurt sauce and pour it hot over the hot squash. Add garlic and stir gently for a couple of minutes, being careful not to break the squash. Cook for 10 more minutes and turn off heat.
5. Slowly pour the yogurt sauce into a deep platter. Gently push the squash out of the pot onto the sauce-filled platter and serve.

Serve it hot or warm with Rice with Vermicelli, pita bread and salad.