Squash Katsu with Burrata & Pesto

AUGUST 24th, 2022 — An appetizer inspired by a tempura version of it at Momofuku! Doing katsu is much less intensive. I made the below recipe for 8 people.

So what did you do?
Slice 2 small acorn squashes crosswise, so you get rings. Remove (with a paring knife) the seeds and stringy flesh. You could try other squash, but I like the starchiness of acorn squash, and it’s not as tough to break down (unlike butternut squash). I also think the rings make an attractive shape.

Prepare the dredge & batter stations.
Fill one dish with flour (or rice flour) and salt.
Fill one dish with 2 eggs, beaten.
Fill the last dish with panko.

Prepare a deep pan with oil for frying.
Dredge the squash rings first in the flour-salt mixture, then in the eggs, then in the panko.
Drop the squash rings into frying pan.
Fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until the squash is somewhat soft and the panko has turned golden brown.

To serve, top with burrata (or fresh mozzarella) and pesto. (I used a cilantro chutney, which I think adds some bright acidic notes.)

Lessons learned?
Would highly recommend thinking about more ideas to mix Japanese and Italian recipes. Momofuku added some yuzu marmalade to their appetizer, so that might be something to consider for next time.