Vegetable
Cucurbita pepo
S tier
Cucurbita pepo includes pattypan (scallop) squash—flattened, flying-saucer fruits with scalloped edges, eaten immature like zucchini with tender skin and mild flesh. Colours run white, yellow, green, and bicolour. Overgrown pattypans get seedy and tough. Saute, roast, steam, or stuff small saucers. Species ties pattypans to zucchini and summer pumpkins. Harvest palm-sized for best quality.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
GrillRoastSauteSteamStuff
Traits
Immature Summer FruitMildMild TenderSaucer ShapeScalloped SaucerSpecies PrimarySpecies UmbrellaTender Young
History
MX
C. pepo was domesticated in the Americas with diverse fruit forms including scallops.
European gardens adopted scallop summer squashes from American types.
US
Pattypan/scallop squash were standard US summer garden vegetables.
Baby pattypans became restaurant and farmers-market favourites.