BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SPINACH & RICOTTA LASAGNE
This vegetarian lasagne is quite the departure from the traditional meat-based one, being lighter and fresher, but just as tasty. There are quite a few elements to this dish, but it's very, very easy to prepare them all.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6
FOR THE SQUASH LAYER
800g butternut squash, peeled and cubed (sweet potato and pumpkin can also be used, as can any combination of these three vegetables, as long as you make up 800g),
Knob of butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
FOR THE WHITE SAUCE
40g butter
40g plain flour
568ml (1 pint) whole milk
1/2tsp salt
1/4tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4tsp ground nutmeg
FOR THE SPINACH LAYER
75g baby spinach, roughly chopped
50g toasted pine nuts (to toast them, put in a dry frying pan over medium heat, and allow to brown all over, shaking regularly to ensure even toasting)
12 sage leaves, roughly chopped
Leaves from 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
FOR THE RICOTTA LAYER
500g ricotta cheese
100g parmesan, grated
1 egg
Salt and pepper, to taste
TO FINISH
~10 lasagne sheets (depending on pan size)
125g grated mozzarella cheese
50g parmesan, grated
Handful of panko breadcrumbs
Dried mixed herbs, for sprinkling
METHOD
1
Put the kettle on to boil. Place the butternut squash cubes in a large saucepan, and cover with the boiling water. Bring back to the boil, and add a big pinch of salt. Boil for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup (120ml) of the cooking water.
Once drained, mash the squash, and stir in the cooking water, along with a knob of butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
2
Meanwhile, prepare the white sauce. Place the butter and flour in a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt into the flour, and cook for a minute or two. Add the milk bit by bit, stirring well between each addition to ensure no lumps form. Once all your milk has been added, whack up the heat and bring to a gentle bubble, allowing it to thicken. Once bubbling, remove from the heat and add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.
3
For the ricotta layer, combine the ricotta, egg and parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
4
For the spinach layer, simply toss the baby spinach, toasted pine nuts, sage leaves and chopped rosemary together in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
5
Now to assemble! Grease a large baking dish (somewhere in the ballpark of 9 x 13 inches but it needn't be precise) with some oil or butter and set aside. Preheat your oven to 190°C.
Lay 1/3 of the butternut squash mash along the base of the dish. Follow with 1/3 of the spinach mixture, 1/3 of the ricotta mix, then a layer of pasta sheets. Break the pasta sheets up if necessary so they fit in your pan - it's perfectly acceptable if they overlap a bit.
Top with 1/2 the remaining butternut squash mash, 1/2 the remaining spinach mixture, 1/2 the remaining ricotta mixture, then half of the white sauce. Top with another layer of pasta sheets.
Finish with the remaining butternut squash mash, the remaining spinach mixture, the remaining ricotta mixture, and the remaining white sauce. Top with the grated mozzarella and parmesan, followed by a scattering of breadcrumbs and a sprinkling of mixed dried herbs.
6
Bake for 35 minutes, untl the cheese is melted and bubbling, and the top is golden brown. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestion
This lasagne is great as is, or served alongside a crisp green salad and some garlic bread.
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