With butternut squash readily available and autumn gently approaching, what could be better than a hearty butternut squash and ricotta lasagne? It's full of flavour and totally delicious.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr20 minutesmins
Course: Pasta meals
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 8slices
Author: Emily Leary
Ingredients
For the butternut squash layer
2kgbutternut squash fleshcubed (about 2.5kg of squash before peeling and deseeding)
2tspdried sage
1pinchsalt and black pepper
For the spinach and ricotta layer
1tbspolive oilplus more for greasing
160gfresh spinach
500gricotta cheese
1/4tspground nutmeg
1pinchsalt and black pepper
For the tomato layer
1tbspolive oil
1onion
2clovesgarlic
800gcanned chopped tomatoes
1pinchsalt and black pepper
For the lasagne layers
500gfresh egg lasagne sheets
For the white sauce
600mldouble cream (heavy cream)
100gParmesan or vegetarian hard cheese alternativefinely grated
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F (160C/320F fan assisted).
Put the butternut squash in large pan in plenty of boiling salted water. Cook for around 20 minutes until soft.
Drain, then chuck in the food processor with the sage and a pinch of salt of pepper. Blend until smooth.
Set aside in a bowl to cool and give the food processor a rinse.
Make the spinach and ricotta layer
Warm the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the spinach and fry for 1-2 minutes until wilted.
Tip the wilted spinach into a food processor along with the ricotta, nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse in the food processor until smooth with green flecks. Set aside.
Make the tomato layer
Warm the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes until softening.
Add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until reduced by half.
Assemble the lasagne layers
To assemble, put half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of your greased lasagne dish, then cover with a single layer of lasagne, tearing the sheets to size if needed.
Next, add half the ricotta mix followed by a layer of lasagne sheets.
Now add half the butternut squash mix followed by another layer of lasagne sheets.