🎃 Patty pan squash

Patty pan squashes are saucer-shaped summer squashes with scalloped edges, in white, yellow or green. They are as easy and productive as courgettes, with a firm texture and a delicate, nutty flavour.

Plants are compact bushes, ideal for medium gardens. Pick them small for the best flavour.

Varieties to try

Custard White (classic)Sunburst (yellow, beautiful)Scallopini (green)Peter Pan (compact)

Sow indoors from mid-April to May, seeds on edge, 2 cm deep, in 9 cm pots at 18–20°C. Plant out after frost in early June, 75–90 cm apart, in rich soil in full sun.

Direct sowing under cloches is possible in late May. Add compost to the planting site.

Top tips

• Sow seeds on edge.
• Plant after frost.
• Dig in compost.
• Space 75–90 cm.

Water well, at the base, and feed fortnightly with tomato fertiliser once fruiting. Mulch around the plants.

Slugs, mildew and poor pollination are the main issues. Hand-pollinate in poor weather. Remove yellowing leaves.

Patty pans are less sprawling than trailing squashes, and a single plant fits into a space about 90 cm across, so they suit raised beds and large pots (at least 40 cm). Mulch with straw to keep fruit clean and the soil moist, and remove old leaves that block light and air flow in late summer. Feeding with a high-potash fertiliser every two weeks keeps them flowering and fruiting.

Top tips

• Water at the base.
• Feed fortnightly.
• Hand-pollinate if needed.
• Pick often.

Watch out for

SlugsPowdery mildewCucumber mosaic virusPoor pollination

Pick when 5–8 cm across, tender and firm, from July to October. Cut with a sharp knife and a short stalk. Check plants daily, since fruit grows quickly.

Regular picking prolongs cropping. Larger fruits have tougher skin, but can be stuffed.

Pick small and often. A patty pan at 4–5 cm across, with a glossy skin and tender flesh, has a far better texture and flavour than one the size of a saucer, which becomes tough and seedy. Use a sharp knife and avoid knocking the plant, because stems are brittle. The flowers are edible, too; pick male flowers in the morning for stuffing and frying.

Top tips

• Pick at 5–8 cm.
• Check daily.
• Cut with a stalk.
• Use larger ones for stuffing.

Steam, grill, sauté or roast small whole patty pans, or slice and use like courgettes. Larger ones can be hollowed and stuffed. The flavour is buttery and mild.

Keeps for a week in the fridge. Slice and freeze after blanching.

Small patty pans can be steamed whole and dressed with butter and herbs, or threaded on skewers and grilled. Larger specimens can be hollowed out, stuffed with rice, herbs and cheese and baked. They also make good fritters, soups and pickles. Their firm flesh keeps its shape better than courgette.

Top tips

• Cook small ones whole.
• Stuff large ones.
• Blanch and freeze slices.
• Grill with olive oil.