This is recipe is better started the day before or the
morning of that dinner. It is a preparation to be done
leisurely, to be enjoyed. Time will also allow the
flavor of the sauce to develop. It has three major
components, each relatively easy in preparation. They
are: Roasted pieces of Butternut Squash, Rosemary
BÈchamel Sauce, and fresh, homemade mushroom lasagna
noodles. This is a recipe that can be played with. You
don't have to make your lasagna noodles. You can buy
dry ones in the box ... regular flavor. Prince puts out
variety especially good for using uncooked (yes, stiff
as board) in your lasagna. At my work kitchen, we use
fresh frozen. Being so in love with my hand cranked
pasta maker ... I haven't checked to see if these can
bought in freezer section in the supermarket, but I
believe it is very worth the looking. If you go with
the dry noodles, add an extra ‡ cup of either wine or
milk to the bÈchamel sauce in end to thin it, so
lasagna is not too dry. Of course, I think making the
noodles is half the fun of this recipe.
In the name of efficiency, I like to get my squash
roasting while making my sauce and then make up my
noodles.
Ingredients:
Part 1
One medium to large butternut squash, peeled, seeded
and chopped into one inch cubes
3-4 tablespoons oil, preferably olive
2-3 teaspoons granulated garlic
1-teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Part 2
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup minced onion (better yet, shallot!)
2 cups cream or half &half
1-cup milk
1-cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 1/2 cup white wine (I like chardonnay)
1-1/2 tablespoons dry rosemary leaves
Or 3-5 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, bruised and
lightly chopped
Nutmeg
Part 3
4 cups flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 eggs
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, stewed in a cup of
water and cooked down to a 1/2 cup
Other ingredients
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Part 1
Preheat oven to 375 degree. Mix together oil with
vinegar and coat prepared squash with it. Sprinkle in
salt and garlic and toss. Spread out on an oiled sheet
pan and bake in over for 30 minutes. The squash should
be lightly tender. Set aside.
Part 2
In a double boiler, melt the butter. Add minced onion
and cook for 3-4 minutes. Whisk in flour. Occasionally
whisking, cook this mixture for about 15 minutes.
Then whisk in cold milk. Whisk in wine. Gradually,
whisk in cream and stock. Add nutmeg and rosemary.
Cook, stirring occasional, for 15 minutes. Sauce will
thicken. Set aside. If working with dry pasta, add
addition liquid now. Whisk till smooth.
Part 3
If you want to make the pasta, simmer dried mushrooms
in water for about 30 minutes. Puree mushrooms in
cooking liquid. This puree should measure about ‡ to
2/3 cup.
With a fork, mix together eggs, oil and puree. Mix
into flour and need into a stiff dough. Add more water
or flour as needed. Let rest for 10 minutes. Roll out
in pasta maker to setting number 4.
If you go with plain pasta, you sautÈ sliced mushroom
to add to the lasagna. If you go with the dry pasta,
allow for expansion of the noodles as the lasagna
cooks. Leave space between the dry noodles.
Putting it all together.
Preheat the over to 400 degrees
In large lasagna pan (you really, really want some of
this leftover), Spread a light layer of the Sauce, top
with noodles,* spread out half of the squash, sprinkle
half of walnuts (and mushrooms. Spoon on more sauce
add next layer of noodles. * Repeat *to* Top with
fourth layer of noodles and last of sauce on top.
Wrap tight with foil. Turn oven down to 350 after 10
minutes and bake another 40 to 50 minutes. Uncover and
sprinkle mozzarella over top and return to oven till
cheese is melted. Let this lasagna set out at least 15
before serving. You can let it set out longer, since
the flavor is most intense at warm, not hot,
temperatures.
