Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash

Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello

Show: Easy Entertaining with Michael ChiarelloEpisode: Basta Pasta

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (40)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(40)

Cook Time:
1 hr 15 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
8 to 10 servings

Times:

Prep: 1 hr 30 min
Inactive Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr 15 min
Total:: 3 hr 0 min

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Directions

For the squash:

Ingredients

2 large butternut squash, about 3 to 5 pounds
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon Fennel and Cinnamon Spice Blend, recipe follows
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups ricotta cheese (or a 15-ounce container)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 large eggs
1 pound dried lasagna sheets (about 24 sheets), each 6 1/2 by 3 inches
Extra-virgin olive oil

For the sauce:

2 quarts whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sage, minced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

To assemble the lasagna:

Butter, for dish
1 pound mozzarella, grated
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the squash's hard shell. Trim about 1/2-inch off the top and bottom ends so you can set each section of the squash flat on a cutting board. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out with a spoon, and coarsely chop the squash into 1/2-inch chunks. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a bowl, toss the squash with the oil, sage, spice blend, and 1 teaspoon salt and fresh ground pepper. Spread the squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast the squash in the oven until very soft and beginning to brown, 40 to 50 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove the squash from the oven and puree in a food processor with fresh nutmeg.

In a large bowl, mix the squash puree, ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover and refrigerate the mixture until ready to use.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the lasagna sheets until al dente. Drain the sheets and spread them on a baking sheet. Drizzle them lightly with oil and set aside.

Prepare the sauce: In a large saucepan, bring the milk to a slow simmer over medium heat. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the sage and garlic to the butter, cook for 30 seconds, then add the flour and stir. Add about 3 cups of the milk, and whisk vigorously to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, while whisking continuously. Add the remaining milk and whisk again. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Adjust the heat to low to maintain a slow simmer, and cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes, whisking frequently. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Makes about 8 cups.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Spoon a ladle of bechamel into the dish and spread to coat the bottom. Place a single layer of lasagna sheets on top of the bechamel. Spread some of the squash mixture evenly over the lasagna sheets and sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan on top. Repeat this step until all ingredients are used, starting with 2 to 3 ladles of bechamel for each layer. Keep building the layers until the pan is full to about 1/4-inch from the top. Finish with cheese and sauce directly over the noodles. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 1 hour. Remove the cover, and continue cooking for another 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Allow lasagna to rest before slicing. Serve warm.

Fennel and Cinnamon Spice Blend:

3 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Salt

Grind fennel with mortar and pestle. Add the cinnamon and salt and continue grinding. Or grind in spice grinder for a rough grind.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash
Jimmy Lisle, IL 11-16-2009
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Great Recipe!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This makes a perfect entree or as a side for a holiday dinner and is very delicious. It does take some time to prepare all... at once, but roasting the squash ahead of time helps. I also used the no boil lasagna noodle as suggested by another reviewer and used a pastry bag or large zip lock (also suggested) to spread the squash/ricoota mixture. I added some ground italian sausage to the layers of squash and this added a wonderful savory element and balanced out the sweetness. I browned the sausage first and drained to avoid extra grease/fat in the dish. Do not hesitate to make this. Take time to read the positive reviews for tips. Read more
recipe Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash
Luis Felix Broomfield, CO 10-28-2009
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Just plain wrong: pumpkin pie with a savory cheese sauce.
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

Save yourself the effort. Do not try this recipe... I tried this recipe because I wanted to do something different from a... traditional meat lasagna. During preparation my wife and children kept telling me the smell was more like dessert than dinner, but I persisted. After several hours of effort, my family and I dove into this dish and came up with the same disgusted and perplexed looks. The pasty squash layer tastes like sweet potato or pumpkin pie, but then you have the savory bechamel sauce, which belongs on another dish entirely. And the texture is mushy the whole way through... NOT GOOD. Read more
recipe Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash
shelley seattle, WA 10-06-2009
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Wonderful Winter Lasagna
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Made this for friends and all thought it was a taste of heaven. Fresh grated nutmeg makes a big difference, don't skimp. Did... find a bit time consuming, may buy precut squash next time. Also, it serves a lot. I cut it in half and still it would feed 6. Will do this one again.Read more
recipe Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash
Chris corryton, TN 09-12-2009
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Great Lasagna (with an Italian classic squash added)
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is a great dish. The squash is a classic Italian dish in itself that I have always adored. Michael Chiarello is... brilliant in his adaptations of classic dishes with his progressive flare. Most people who do this loose the plot but not Chiarello. This Lasagna is top notch but if your idea of lasagna is Olive Garden or out of a box this is not for you. If you would like to try a classic Italian squash as part of a wonderful spin on Lasagna give it a go. Read more
recipe Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash
Robert Fort Worth, TX 03-11-2009
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Wouldn't do this again
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

Weird, smells like pumpkin pie and looks like lasagna. Too much cinammon and nutmeg. Next time make the sauce and put... spinach instead of squash into the lasagna. The roasted squash would make a nice side dish by itself.Read more
recipe Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash
Lara Sarasota, FL 03-01-2009
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very strange flavor
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

I gave this recipe two stars because even though I hated it, my fiance liked it. I was a vegetarian for years, so I thought... I'd like it, but no....it also took way too long to prepare.Read more