Oy the NYC heat is excruciating… sure, the thermometer says 100 degrees, but it is more like 150 degrees when you factor in the car exhaust, rotting trash, Fulton Street Russian bath house, the list goes on…

So naturally it made sense to get involved with the broiler.

I was inspired by a ricotta stuffed summer squash recipe I saw on Saveur.com – after adding and subtracting a few ingredients, I came up with the following:

Ingredients:

2 zucchini or yellow squash (or 1 of each!)
1 cup ricotta (homemade if you can)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 heaping tbsp pesto
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
Pinches of salt, pepper

Turn your broiler on high — this was PAINFUL even with the AC blasting. Slice each squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Rub the inside of each with olive oil, and broil for about 5 minutes to partially cook.

For the filling, I started out with Ina Garten’s homemade ricotta recipe (VERY easy, and so worth it!). Combine the ricotta, parm, pesto, garlic and breadcrumbs, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff each squash with the ricotta mixture, then put them back under the broiler for another 10 minutes or until the tops are golden brown (or black…..whoops). Allow them to cool for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy!

These were seriously delicious, the squash was perfectly cooked, and the ricotta/pesto stuffing was an ideal companion. A lovely summer starter in mere minutes!