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Cucuzza squash is a type of Italian summer squash that can be used in similar ways to zucchini. It can also be made into a drinking gourd. The squash has pale green skin and pure white flesh, and is elongated in shape. It is most palatable when cooked before eating and can be used in stews, soups, and stir-fries. To grow it, plant seedlings after the last frost and provide trellises for the vines to grow. Ripe squash naturally pulls away from the vine.
Cucuzza squash is an Italian summer squash that can be used in much the same way as zucchini and other summer squash. In addition to being a source of nutrition, dried gourd can also be made into a drinking gourd, leading to an alternative name of “bottle gourd.” Technically, cucuzza is really a squash, and it’s not in the same genus as other summer squashes, but because it’s handled the same way, most people refer to it as a squash for convenience.
The skin of this pumpkin is pale green and the flesh is pure white. As is the case with other pumpkins, the cuckoo must be peeled before eating, even though the seeds are perfectly edible. In shape, the pumpkin is rather elongated, it looks rather like a pale oversized zucchini. Many producers sell gourd squash with the stem on, as the stem can continue to nourish the fruit after harvest.
The season for vegetables tends to be June to September, sometimes extending into more temperate climates thereafter. When looking for gourd in the store, look for a shiny, glossy specimen, with no soft spots or signs of discoloration. The vegetable can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week, at which point it should be used.
Unlike other summer squash, cucuzza squash is most palatable when cooked before eating. It can be used in stews, soups and stir-fries. It can also be fried or stuffed and cooked. When stuffing cucuzza, many cooks prefer to leave the skin open to act as a bowl for the squash and its filling. For a simple yet tasty dish, try halving a squash, drizzling it with olive oil, sprinkling with freshly cracked salt and pepper, and cooking them for a few minutes.
To grow cuckoo squash in a temperate climate, plant the seedlings after the last risk of frost, spacing them well apart to allow the training vines to grow. For best yield, provide trellises for the vines to grow. Prepare the soil well before planting by working mulch and compost into it, and keep cuckoo plants well watered as they grow. Ripe squash naturally pulls away from the vine, or you can cut it back, leaving part of the stem, if you prefer. Let the squash dry on the plant if you plan on making pumpkins.
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