How to Make Alex Guarnaschelli's Restaurant-Worthy Twice-Baked Butternut Squash

Twice-Baked Butternut Squash With Brown Butter and Parmesan

From Alex Guarnaschelli

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Arrange the squash halves in a single layer on a baking sheet. In a small saucepan, melt the butter completely over medium heat. Wait until it starts to turn a light brown color. Remove from the heat and immediately pour over the squash sections and drizzle the molasses. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, salt, ground ginger, fresh ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. Fill the bottom of the tray with about 1/2 inch of water to create steam while the squash bakes. Cover the tray with aluminum foil and seal the edges tightly.
Add sweet potatoes to the top of of the foil-lined tray and bake, undisturbed, for 1 1/2-2 hours. To check for doneness, pierce one of the halves with the tip of a small knife. The knife should slide in and out of the squash and potatoes easily. If at all firm, bake them an additional 30-45 minutes. Remove from the oven. Carefully peel back the foil.
In a medium pot, simmer the orange zest and juice. Carefully extract the squash from the halves and the flesh from the sweet potatoes, leaving the squash skin and the "halves" intact on the baking sheet. Whisk the squash and potato flesh into the orange juice. Taste for seasoning. If the squash lacks sweetness, add a little molasses. If it lacks salt, add a little salt. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large "star" tip and "pipe" the seasoned squash back into the halves. It likely will only fill 6 halves. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and bake in the oven until golden brown, 15-18 minutes.