Source: The New York Times: Well's Vegetarian Thanksgiving 2012
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash
6 TBS. olive oil, divided
3 red onions, medium, julienne
1 lb. part-skim ricotta cheese
2 TBS. rosemary, chopped
2 eggs
1.5 C grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 TBS. unsalted butter
Scant 1/2 C all-purpose flour
3.5 C whole milk
Pinch nutmeg
1 bag chopped frozen spinach (1-lb.), defrosted and drained
6 sheets fresh pasta, or no-boil lasagna noodles
Salt
Pepper
Directions
1. Roast the butternut squash. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place in roasting pan and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Place in oven and cook until soft all the way through, about 1 hour. Set aside until cool. When cooled, remove skin and place in food processor. Purée until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
2. To caramelize the onions: Place 3 tablespoons of olive oil in sauté pan. Heat until hot but not smoking; add onions. Toss to coat with oil. Turn heat down to medium and cook until onions are soft and browned, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
3. Prepare a ricotta cheese mixture. Mix ricotta cheese, chopped rosemary, eggs, half the grated Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
4. Make a spinach Mornay sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour and stir. Cook 2 minutes. Add milk and stir until it comes to a boil. Add the rest of the grated Parmesan, the nutmeg and the defrosted spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
5. Assemble the dish. Spray a 9"x 13" pan with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of the spinach sauce on the bottom of the pan. Cover with a layer of fresh pasta sheets. Spread half of the roasted butternut squash on top of the pasta sheets. Top with another layer of pasta sheets. Spread ricotta cheese mixture on top of pasta sheets, and spread caramelized onion on top of ricotta mixture. Cover with an additional layer of pasta sheets. Top with the other half of the butternut purée and then another layer of pasta. Finish by using the rest of the spinach Mornay sauce for the top layer. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover and cook for 15 minutes more.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
My Review
I have to give my buddy, Pat, kudos for this dish--he strongly recommended it. This was my first time making lasagna from scratch, and I loved it! I had so much fun preparing the dish, and my dinner guests for Christmas sure enjoyed eating it! It didn't matter that I was the only vegetarian at the table, everyone loved this recipe and I've been asked to make it again next year.
I'm a big fan of the Well's Vegetarian Thanksgiving blog. I strongly recommend it!
This is a perfect Autumn dish. After you've tried it, let me know what you think with a comment below. :-)
