One of my favorite ingredients during the cold winter months is one that I have fairly recently discovered---Butternut Squash. I was not interested in this vegetable for many years because it looked intimidating and if possible it "looked" bland. I found myself unsure of how to approach it and what to do with it. In recent times I have found that it actually is NOT bland at all and that it serves as a great taste canvas that encourages enhancement. I lean toward the savory applications at present and plan to explore the sweet side in the future. I have tried it simply peeled, diced and coated with olive oil and salt and pepper and simply roasted in a hot oven. This is delicious and will go well as a side dish with many main courses or it can go solo when combined with a great salad.
This initial method of preparation also forms the foundation of many other savory dishes.
During the oven roasting add some diced onion and some smashed cloves of garlic. This mixture becomes the basis of a great butternut risotto or the basis of a fantastic pasta sauce that has the rich creamy texture of butter and heavy cream without having any of the "weight" of those ingredients! I have even ventured into the use of butternut squash in a macaroni and cheese creation.
Another great attribute of the butternut squash is the durability and shelf life of the vegetable. I like to buy this ingredient when it looks good and appeals to my sense of cooking adventure. However time and life often get in the way of immediate preparation so I really enjoy having the ability to have the squash "on hand" and available whenever the cooking stars align and creativity prevails.
On a recent cold and cloudy day all of these factors came together along with the new found knowledge that I uncovered enough lasagna noodles in my pantry to swath the city in semolina. I must also give credit for this dish to some unwitting participants. I have 2 *NEW* sons-in-law that I adore. One of them loves lasagna with a special passion and the other loves butternut squash with a special passion! So with them in mind and the pantry stocked I decided to try my hand at Butternut Lasagna. I have somewhat of a reputation among family and friends for making a good traditional lasagna so I needed to be careful not to tarnish that image with a less-than great alternative. The results of this collaboration:
BUTTERNUT LASAGNA
1 medium to large butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2 cubes 1 large onion sliced into medium pieces 4-6 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed 1/2 -1 teaspoon dried thyme Olive oil to generously coat vegetables Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the vegetables and toss with olive oil, thyme and salt and pepper. Place on a half sheet pan lined with a silicon mat or aluminum foil. Place this in a hot oven (400 degrees) for approx 10 minutes or until the vegetables are knife tender and lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Meanwhile make a bechamel sauce with the following ingredients:
4 ounces (1 stick) butter 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour Approx. 2 quarts of milk (I use skim) 1/2 to 1 whole nutmeg, finely grated Salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a heavy 3-4 quart saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook the flour and butter for 2-3 minutes to remove the raw taste of the flour. Be careful to not brown the roux. With a whisk in hand, add the milk a small amount at a time while whisking. The slow addition of the milk will allow the roux to combine without forming the dreaded lumps. When all of the milk has been added stir the roux and gently bring to a boil. Its full thickened potential will only be reached when the mixture comes to a boil. I generally reserve some of the milk until I see how thick the sauce becomes. Sometimes I will then add the reserved milk and sometimes it is not needed. The goal of the sauce is to be thick enough to coat a wooden spoon and leave a trace when you drag your finger across the spoon, but not be paste-like. The sauce should be smooth and velvety on your tongue. Now season with salt and pepper to taste (aesthetically, white pepper is preferable but not essential). At this point grate the fresh nutmeg with a microplane grater directly into the sauce. How much you add is a matter of preference. Since nutmeg is a great flavor enhancer for both bechamel and butternut squash--I used a whole grated nutmeg.
this sauce forms the basis for your lasagna.
Cook a 1 pound box of lasagna noodles to slightly less-than al dente. Remember that they will finish cooking as the lasagna bakes. Generously salt the water as this is your one opportunity to flavor the pasta with salt. When the pasta is cooked to the desirable level, drain the hot water and immerse the pasta in cold water. This will cease the cooking process and hold the pasta until you are ready to assemble the lasagna.
Form the flavor base of the dish:
In the bowl of a food processor combine the following:
The roasted butternut squash, onions, garlic and the olive oil it was roasted in, 1- 15 ounce container of Ricotta Cheese 1/4 to 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmigiana Cheese, 2 whole eggs, and salt and pepper.
Process this mixture until a smooth and thick puree is formed. You may need to add a little olive oil and or heavy cream to get the texture you want.
You are now ready to assemble the finished product:
In addition you will need the following ingredients:
1 pound of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of shredded parmigiana cheese
Use a 10x13 inch pan (size is relative to what you have on hand) that has been well greased or sprayed with a non-stick spray.
Place a thin layer of the bechamel sauce in the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of lasagna noodles on top of the bechamel. (I take care to dry the pasta with paper towels as they come out of the cold water to prevent dilution of the dish)
On top of the pasta, ladle a generous amount of the bechamel. Dollop a layer of the butternut squash mixture over the bechamel. I used an ice cream scoop and then gently spread this into a layer with a fork. Sprinkle this generously with shredded mozzarella cheese and a little additional parmigiana cheese. Place another layer of pasta, etc. Layer to the top and finish with a layer of mozzarella and parmigiana on top. Cover this tightly with aluminum foil that has been greased or sprayed with non-stick spray to prevent the lasagna from sticking to the foil when removed.
At this point the lasagna can go to the oven or it can be refrigerated until ready to bake. If you refrigerate--allow extra time for the baking.
The lasagna is baked at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until it is hot and bubbly all the way through. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes to allow the top to brown.
Allow the lasagna to rest out of the oven for at least 15-20 minutes to "set".
Serve and enjoy.
