Something about a little chill in the air makes me want to eat comfort food like its going out of style. Soups, casseroles, hearty meats and veggies - I have been making it all. Traditional lasagna was always a Thanksgiving staple for my family every year, so I thought why not throw a whole lot of fall into it with a butternut squash sauce?! There's nothing more comforting than the combo!
Grocery list:
1 large butternut squash - peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 small onion - finely chopped
1 garlic clove - minced
2 tsp sage leaves - minced
1 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups half and half
15 oz ricotta cheese
4 oz goat cheese
1 egg
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Butter for greasing pan
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Store bought or Homemade lazagna noodles (recipe follows), boiled about one minute or until al dente
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425. On a large baking sheet, toss butternut squash pieces with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft. While the squash is roasting, heat the other tbsp of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and a dash of salt and pepper and cook until caramelized - about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, all spice, and red pepper and cook for one more minute. Transfer the mixture to a blender, along with the cooked squash, maple syrup, and half and half. Blend until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, goat cheese, nutmeg, and a dash of salt and pepper until smooth.
3. Turn oven temperature down to 400. Butter the bottom and sides of a large casserole dish. Ladle a layer of the butternut squash sauce into the bottom of the dish, covering the bottom. Layer noodles, butternut squash sauce, ricotta mixture, and Parmesan cheese in that order. Repeat three times. Finally, top with about 1/2 cup of the remaining Parmesan cheese. Drizzle olive oil over the cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Homemade Lasagna Noodles:
Grocery list:
1 cup cake flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
2 large eggs
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions:
1. Pile the cake flour and all-purpose flour onto a clean work surface. Sprinkle salt over the top and make a hole in the center of the flour mixture with your hands. Add the eggs and olive oil to the center and beat together with a fork.
2. Slowly, begin incorporating the flour from the sides into the egg mixture. Add a tbsp of water at a time, continuing to mix with the fork until the dough starts to come together. It will take approximately 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water to come together.
3. When dough roughly comes together, begin kneading with your hands for 8 to 10 minutes. Add more flour if it's too wet, more water if it's too dry. The dough consistency will be smooth and elastic when it's ready.
4. Cut into four pieces. Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough out and run through a pasta machine about five times or until thin, about 1/8 inch. Cut each thinned piece in half, the shape of traditional lasagna noodles or to fit the casserole dish you are using. For this recipe, you'll have one of the four pieces of pasta dough leftover. Save and make another pasta dish.
CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!