This recipe is the most requested one I have! It was originally from food network, but I’ve changed it so much (FOR THE BETTER), that I think it deserves it’s own post!

• 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes, we grow ours and store in the pantry over the winter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• Pinch nutmeg
• 12  lasagna noodles
• 2 1/2 cups grated cheese (your favorite blend, mine is whole-milk mozzarella, aged white cheddar & Parmesan).
• 1 small container of ricotta cheese

Directions

SQUASH PUREE: Heat a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the water and  squash . Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor (or blender if you don’t have a food processor). Blend until smooth.

NOODLES: Cook the lasagna noodles according to directions (I normally start the squash & noodle water at the same time). When the water is boiling I start the cream sauce (next paragraph).

CREAM SAUCE: 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. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Preheat the oven to400 degrees F.

ASSEMBLY TIME: Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of  cheese mixture and 1/3 of the ricotta. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times, reserving a little cheese for later. If you have extra squash puree we freeze ours for the next recipe, or freeze in ice cube trays for a quick baby snack!

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil!

Bake the lasagna for 50 minutes.

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 10 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving (if you can bear it).

This recipe does use almost every pan & pot in the house (okay I’m exaggerating, only 3 plus the food processes) but it’s SO worth it!

ENJOY!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 10:12 am and is filed under Food, How To. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.