Author Notes: I love the combination of salty and sweet in many forms. I also love how many different variations of lasagna you can make. This is a great fall variation that’s perfect for Thanksgiving (particularly if you have vegetarians), an American twist on lasagna. I’m not a fan of ricotta in general, so I usually find a way to make lasagna without it. However, if that’s your thing, you can always add ricotta to the cheese mix. To make it veggie, just use vegetable stock instead of the chicken stock. —Meatballs&Milkshakes
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
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1
butternut squash, chopped into 1″ dice
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1
bunch carrots, chopped into 1″ dice
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4
tablespoons olive oil
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3
tablespoons brown sugar
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2
tablespoons freshly grated nutmeg
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1
tablespoon real maple syrup
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2
tablespoons salt
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2
teaspoons freshly ground pepper
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4
tablespoons butter
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4
tablespoons flour, AP or whole wheat
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2
cups whole milk
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12
sage leaves, chopped
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1/2
cup chicken stock
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2
amaretti cookies
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1 1/2
cups grated Italian fontina or sharp, aged pecorino
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1
cup grated parmesan or pecorino
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1
package lasagna noodles, regular or whole wheat
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18
basil leaves
Directions
- Combine the squash, carrots, half the olive oil, brown sugar, half the nutmeg, maple syrup, half the salt and pepper on a sheet tray. Roast at 450 degrees for 45-50 minutes, until it starts to caramelize.
- Meanwhile, make the bechamel by combining the flour and butter in a pan for a couple minutes. Add the milk and the remainder of the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat.
- Combine the roasted vegetables with the remainder of the olive oil, amaretti, and sage leaves in a blender. Blend into a thick puree. You can thin it out with the stock until it’s the right consistency, but don’t make it too watery.
- Put a thin layer of the vegetable puree on the bottom of a buttered lasagna pan. Put a layer of noodles and then a layer of puree and a layer of bechemel sauce. Sprinkle some of each grated cheese on top and spread out some basil leaves. Continue to layer in the same order until you have finished the puree and bechemel. Sprinkle more cheese over the top and drizzle some additional olive oil over the top. Bake covered with aluminum foil for 40 minutes at 450 degrees. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes until bubbling. Let cool 10 minutes until serving.