Recipe Background
Butternut Lasagna is the fusion of Italian cooking and Americans' love for autumn and lets the fall flavor take center stage. A rich, creamy butternut squash sauce, which tastes almost like savory butterscotch, is fortified by nutty cookies, layered between tender lasagna noodles. On top is cheese, of course: sharp, creamy, melty, golden-browned cheese. The squash is the star of Butternut Lasagna, and that's the perfect thing to enjoy when the weather turns chilly!
Butternut Lasagna is the fusion of Italian cooking and Americans' love for autumn and lets the fall flavor take center stage. A rich, creamy butternut squash sauce, which tastes almost like savory butterscotch, is fortified by nutty cookies, layered between tender lasagna noodles. On top is cheese, of course: sharp, creamy, melty, golden-browned cheese. The squash is the star of Butternut Lasagna, and that's the perfect thing to enjoy when the weather turns chilly!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (1.5-2-pound) butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 amaretti cookies crumbled
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups whole milk
- nutmeg to taste
- 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves lightly packed
- 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
- 2 1/2 cups whole-milk mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/3 cup parmesan grated
Directions
- Position the rack in the center of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly butter a 9x13-inch glass baking dish.
- Heat the oil in a heavy, large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the squash to the skillet and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle the squash with the salt and the pepper.
- Pour the water into the skillet, then cover the skillet.
- Simmer the squash, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until tender, about 20 minutes.
- Allow the squash to cool slightly, then transfer it to a food processor.
- Add the amaretti cookies to the squash and blend until smooth.
- Season the squash puree to taste with more of the salt and the pepper.
- In a heavy, medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk together for 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking continuously, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk the nutmeg into the sauce mixture and allow the sauce to cool slightly.
- Transfer 1/2 of the sauce to a blender.
- Add the basil to the sauce and blend until smooth.
- Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend.
- Season the sauce with the salt and the pepper, to taste.
- 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 the squash layer with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
- Drizzle 1/2 cup of the sauce over the noodles.
- Repeat the layering 3 times.
- Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the parmesan over the lasagna and bake, uncovered, until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, about 15 minutes.
- Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.
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