How to Make Butternut Squash Cakes (or Patties)

I am growing butternut squash in my garden and I cut the first two from the vine the other day.

I baked one, which entailed cutting the squash in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds (to be roasted separately), putting the halves (flesh-side down) into an oven-proof baking dish, adding a little water to the pan (to prevent burning) and cooking in a 350° oven until the flesh started to soften (about 40 minutes). After letting the squash cool, I scooped out the flesh and stored it in the refrigerator.

One decent-sized squash gives off quite a bit of meat, so the novelty of eating it plain (with a little salt and pepper) wore off quickly. To change things up, I made butternut squash patties, using the same technique employed for constructing fish cakes, spinach-beef patties or grain-bean cakes. (I interchange the terms "cakes" and "patties" freely.)
I put some squash into a bowl and added a mixed egg and whole wheat bread crumbs, which help hold the patties together. In addition, I added unrefined sea salt, fresh ground pepper, lemon juice and chopped parsley for added flavor, nutrition and color. I combined everything, made patties (slightly smaller than hockey pucks) and coated them with a little flour, which facilitates browning when cooking.

In a cast iron pan, I then sautéed the patties in olive oil, letting both sides brown. The whole operation took about 15 minutes, and the patties—along with a salad—made for a great vegetarian meal.