by Justin Segelstrom
Let’s be honest – this lasagna is a bit of a project, but it’s so worth it. There’s no shame in taking shortcuts, though! If you’ve ever worked with butternut squash, you know it’s kind of a pain. Forget using a potato peeler – that takes forever! I like to cut the squash in half, stand it up, and peel it with a sharp knife. Or, better yet, buy it pre-cut. Just make sure to chop it into smaller pieces for the lasagna. For the noodles, you can use regular lasagna noodles, but I like the no-boil ones because they are consistently flat and make nice even layers. They also save time, which is good because this can be a time consuming recipe. The herbs in this dish are what really bring it to life. I like to go heavy on the parsley and sage, sometimes even doubling up on the fresh sage and adding a teaspoon of dried rubbed sage for extra depth. And if you can’t find hazelnuts (they seem to be getting scarce!), walnuts are a great substitute.
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 tsp fresh sage, chopped (or more if you love sage as much as I do)
- 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (or substitute with walnuts)
For the sauce:
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 5 tbsp flour
- 5 cups milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp white pepper
For assembly:
- ½ lb mozzarella, grated
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
- 12 sheets no-boil lasagna
Instructions:
- Prepare the filling: Cook the onion in butter over medium heat until softened. Add the squash, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the squash is tender but still firm. Stir in the parsley, sage, and hazelnuts, then set aside to cool.
- Make the sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter, add the garlic, and cook for about a minute. Stir in the flour and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk, add the bay leaf, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Let it simmer until thickened, then remove the bay leaf.
- Assemble the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a 9x13 baking dish, spread a little sauce on the bottom, then layer with lasagna sheets, filling, more sauce, and cheese. Repeat until you’ve got three layers, finishing with a layer of cheese on top.
- Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.