Lasagna With Roasted Kabocha Squash And Béchamel Recipes

LASAGNA WITH ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH AND BéCHAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut the squash into big chunks, brush the exposed flesh with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and place on the baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes or until squash is tender enough to be pierced through to the skin with a paring knife. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until you can handle it, then cut away the skin and cut in thin slices. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees
• While the squash is in the oven, make the béchamel. Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the shallot or onion and cook, stirring, until it has softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw flour taste. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Strain while hot into a large measuring cup or a medium bowl and stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and 1 tablespoon of the sage
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a rectangular baking dish. Spread a spoonful of béchamel over the bottom. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread a thin layer of the béchamel over the noodles. Top with half the squash. Season the squash with salt and pepper and sprinkle with Parmesan. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of lasagna noodles topped with béchamel and Parmesan. Sprinkle the remaining sage over the top. Make sure the noodles are well coated with béchamel so they will soften during baking
• Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake 40 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the mixture is bubbling. Uncover and, if you wish, bake another 5 to 10 minutes until the top begins to brown. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving

SQUASH LASAGNA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange squash in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Dot with butter and season with salt and pepper. Roast 5 minutes. Flip squash, coating in butter, and roast 10 minutes more. Flip again and roast until tender, about 2 minutes more. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Bechamel: Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add onion, nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in mustard, then wine. Boil 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in milk and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer; cook 3 minutes. (You should have 4 cups; add more milk if necessary.)
• Filling: Stir together ricotta, 1 1/2 cups Gruyere, and Parmesan. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in egg.
• Lasagna: Cook noodles in a large pot of generously salted boiling water, gently stirring occasionally, until almost al dente, about 6 minutes (or according to package instructions). Drain. Rinse under cold water and lay noodles flat on a lightly oiled baking sheet to drain. (Do not let them touch.)
• Spread 1 cup bechamel in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange 4 noodles on top. Dot with one-third of filling. Top with half of squash, then spinach. Spread 1 cup bechamel over spinach. Top with 4 more noodles, one-third of filling, remaining squash, 1 cup bechamel, and layer of remaining 4 noodles. Finish with remaining filling and bechamel. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere.
• Cover lasagna with parchment-lined foil and bake until heated through and bubbling at edges, 35 to 40 minutes. Turn oven to broil, remove foil, and broil until golden brown in spots and bubbling, 2 to 5 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before serving.