Trombetta squash

Courgette trompette d’Albenga

What it is

On the Albenga plain it is grown up frames so the trumpet hangs and lengthens straight; left on the ground it curls into a hook. Botanically it is a moschata, the butternut family, picked deliberately unripe — left on the vine it goes on to harden into an orange winter squash.

In the kitchen

The neck is solid flesh with no seed cavity and it does not weep, so peeler-cut ribbons stay dry: salt them only as the plate goes out. For the grill, cut 5 mm planks the long way and take them straight off the bars into olive oil and garlic while hot.

Goes with

Olive oil Basil Garlic Pine nut Parmesan Lemon Mint

Same species

Butternut squash Courgette flower Kabocha Muscade de Provence squash Pattypan squash Red kuri squash

In season alongside

Celeriac Bintje potato Brousse du Rove Cauliflower Cauliflower mushroom Cévennes sweet onion

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