I just want to take a moment to thank the lovely Mr.
Christopher Columbus for inadvertently discovering America and getting a holiday named
in his honor; if it wasn’t for that I would have spent last Monday in the
confines of the office instead of happily standing over the stove preparing
this lasagna. Lasagna is the kind of
dish that makes you warm inside and think of Sunday evening family dinner. This particular one with its layers of
butternut squash puree and basil white sauce reminds you that fall eating is
utterly delicious. It also reminds me of
why I adore savory and sweet food pairings (I know I am like a broken record
talking about sweet and savory, but I can’t help it). The creamy, salty mozzarella
is the perfect counterpart to the sweet and smooth squash puree making this the
kind of food I want to eat almost every day.
This is a rich dish but it isn’t heavy in the slightest making it the
kind of thing you can make during the week (on your day off) without too much
guilt.
Butternut Squash Lasagna
Recipe
adapted from Giada De Laurentis
Ok! - Let us talk about my changes. I
halved the original recipe and cooked it in an 8x8 pan, since I couldn't eat lasagna for the next week (as much as I wanted to eat lasagna for the next week) . You
could make the full recipe and put it in two 8x8 pans and freeze one but we
lacked freezer space for that option. I
added a decent amount of red pepper flakes to the dish since I felt it could
veer on too sweet, I think it added the perfect amount of zing but you can omit
it if you don't love heat or are feeding this to kids. I also used fresh pasta but using no-boil
noodles will make this a little easier.
I realize that lasagna may seem labor intensive or scary but I promise
you this really isn’t difficult. If
you do halve this you will have leftover butternut squash puree, which will be
perfect on ravioli (or plain!) but I love it on pizza and that recipe will be
here later this week!
1
tablespoon olive oil
1
(1 ½ - 2 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes
Salt
and fresh ground pepper
½
cup water
2
tablespoons butter
2
tablespoons all-purpose flour
1
¾ cups whole milk
Pinch
of nutmeg
Generous
¼ cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves, sliced in thin strips.
12
no-boil lasagna noodles (if they are the short lasagna no-bake sheets the ones
I usually see cater more to an 8x8 pan) or about ½ pound fresh lasagna noodles
1
½ cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella
½
cup grated parmesan
1
½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional or you can use less)
Heat
oil in a large pot or a large skillet over medium high-heat. Add the squash and toss to coat in the
oil. Sprinkle with salt and
pepper. Pour the water into
the skillet/pot and the cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is
tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and transfer the squash
to a food processor. Season
the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper. (Can be made a day or
two ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you are ready to
assemble.).
Melt
the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1
minute. Gradually whisk in
the milk. Bring to a boil
over medium-high heat. Reduce
the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often
about 5 minutes. Whisk
in the nutmeg. Cool
slightly. Add the basil,
taste, and season with salt and pepper.
If
using fresh pasta: Bring a
large pot of water to boil. Season
with salt. Boil the noodles
for about 4 minutes (they should be pretty al dente). Remove the noodles from the pot and
rinse in cold water to stop the cooking.
Position
the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
Lightly
butter or spray with a bit of non stick spray and 8x8 inch glass baking
dish. Spread a generous ¼
cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the
bottom of the pan. Spread a
generous 1/2 cup of the squash puree over the noodles (you may need a little
bit more you just want to make sure all the noodles are covered with a thin
layer of the puree), sprinkle with ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (if using), 1/3
cup mozzarella cheese, and 2 tablespoons parmesan. Drizzle a generous ¼ cup of the sauce
over the noodles. Repeat
layering 3 more times. Top
the lasagna with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella, 2 tablespoons parmesan, and
any white sauce you may have left.
Tightly
cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Continue baking uncovered until the
sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand 15 minutes
before serving.
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