Friday, February 29, 2008

Good Food Friday




I made the tastiest lasagna last week. It was a butternut squash lasagna and it was excellent. The sweetness of the squash made the whole lasagna....delectable. In fact I ate it every night this last week for dinner, trust me, this is worth making. Here is the recipe. Enjoy!

For squash filling

1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 cup hazelnuts (4 oz), toasted, loose skins rubbed off with a kitchen towel, and coarsely chopped

For sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups milk
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper


For assembling lasagne
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated (2 cups)
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (3 oz)
12 (7- by 3 1/2-inch) sheets no-boil lasagne (1/2 lb

Preparation
Make filling: Cook onion in butter in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add squash, garlic, salt, and white pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, sage, and nuts. Cool filling.
Make sauce while squash cooks: Cook garlic in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking. Add bay leaf and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Whisk in salt and white pepper and remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. (Cover surface of sauce with wax paper if not using immediately.)
Assemble lasagne: Preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss cheeses together. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a buttered 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass baking dish (or other shallow 3-quart baking dish) and cover with 3 pasta sheets, leaving spaces between sheets. Spread with 2/3 cup sauce and one third of filling, then sprinkle with a heaping 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layering 2 more times, beginning with pasta sheets and ending with cheese. Top with remaining 3 pasta sheets, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese.

Tightly cover baking dish with buttered foil and bake lasagne in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let lasagne stand 15 to
20 minutes before serving.

Cooks' note: • Filling and sauce can be made 1 day ahead and kept separately, covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before assembling.

10 comments:

The Genealogist said...

It looks delicious! What a cook--or chef.

the lunch lady said...

mmmmmm! I just might have to try this (even though it looks a little labor intensive)

Kate said...

because the food you make isn't labor intesive....lunch lady, I know what you make- asparagus wrapped with bacon, rolo cookies, cinnimon rolls, rigatoni w/ bolognese sauce and lots and lots of other things. But this is really good.

Nanette said...

I wish I had a great camera to make MY food look that good! Thanks for the new recipe!

Bill said...

Kate always makes fun of me for taking pictures of everything we eat. See Job 20:5.

Keith and Nicci said...

That sounds so good -wish you guys were still in Provo so you could make it for me - haha! It's been fun reading your blog - you crack me up!

tyler and ali said...

Mmmmm. I could go for that!

Farm Girl said...

Seriously good lookin' food.

The Francis' said...

It sounds different...but it looks great...that's why pictures of food is so fun!
Janel

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear someone else is a squash fan. Britton always whines when I buy squash, and then it usually ends up sitting in our cupboard for weeks. But he actually made a good sound when I told him about your squash lasagna...I'll slowly convert him:)