Set aside an hour or two to make this recipe. This is a variation of a classic lasagna that will impress the vegetarians in your life. I will break it down into the core ingredients, then assemble it it how I like to make it. Please feel free to improvise other ingredients into this lasagna and get creative! The finished product that I make is a sweet tasting lasagna with a note of healthy vegetables and salty cheese. Start off by cooking 20 of your favorite lasagna noodles, and ice them in water to stop the cooking process while you make the fillings.
The Sauce:
2 Cups milk
1/8 cup butter
1/4 Cup flour
1/4 tsp each dried Sage, Thyme, Nutmeg, Garlic
1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese
Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add sage, thyme and nutmeg, and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic, mix, then add flour and stir until the flour has created a pasty sludge at the bottom of your saucepan. Whisk in milk, and slowly bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking frequently. Once the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and whisk in Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
The Fillings
I break my layers into the following setup, starting with the bare pan, with noodles in between each layer listed:
1. Thinly sliced tomatoes with pepper
2. Squash mixture with sauce
3. Cheese (I prefer a simple sharp cheddar in here, but some may prefer a more traditional cottage cheese or Ricotta)
4. Vegetable mixture
5. Remaining sauce with more cheese on top
The Squash Mixture
1 butternut squash
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and fresh pepper
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Take a medium to large size butternut squash, wash, peel, core, and dice into small chunks about 2cms large. Place in a large bowl, and toss in the oil, salt, and fresh pepper to coat well. Pour onto a baking sheet, and cook on center rack for 20 minutes. Squash should be tender and easy to pierce with a fork when removed from oven. Place cooked squash into a saucepan and mash to the consistency of mashed potatoes. Set aside.
The Vegetable Mixture
1 Zucchini thinly sliced
1 med sized bag of fresh spinach diced into 3 cm chunks (About 3 cups worth, it will reduce upon cooking)
2 Tomatoes (Try heirlooms here!) medium dice
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
Heat olive oil in a fry pan. Sauté Zucchini and garlic over medium heat until zucchini is soft, about two minutes. Add Spinach, and mix just until the spinach wilts and begins to shrink. Remove from heat, and sprinkle diced tomatoes over mixture. Set aside.
The Assembly
Start by putting a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes on the bottom of your baking pan, and sprinkle with pepper.
Put a layer of noodles on top.
Spread your squash mixture over the noodles with a spatula, and cover with approximately half of your white sauce.
Put a layer of noodles on top.
Spread out 2 cups of grated sharp cheddar (or whichever cheese you prefer).
Put a layer of noodles on top.
Spread out your vegetable/tomato mixture, and sprinkle with Parmesan to taste
Put a layer of noodles on top.
Pour your remaining white sauce over the top, and cover with 2 cups of grated Mozzarella.
Bake at 350ºF for 25-35 minutes, or until top cheese is bubbly and sauces can be seen boiling in the pan.
Let sit for 10 minutes before service!
The Sauce:
2 Cups milk
1/8 cup butter
1/4 Cup flour
1/4 tsp each dried Sage, Thyme, Nutmeg, Garlic
1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese
Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add sage, thyme and nutmeg, and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic, mix, then add flour and stir until the flour has created a pasty sludge at the bottom of your saucepan. Whisk in milk, and slowly bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking frequently. Once the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and whisk in Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
The Fillings
I break my layers into the following setup, starting with the bare pan, with noodles in between each layer listed:
1. Thinly sliced tomatoes with pepper
2. Squash mixture with sauce
3. Cheese (I prefer a simple sharp cheddar in here, but some may prefer a more traditional cottage cheese or Ricotta)
4. Vegetable mixture
5. Remaining sauce with more cheese on top
The Squash Mixture
1 butternut squash
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and fresh pepper Preheat oven to 350ºF. Take a medium to large size butternut squash, wash, peel, core, and dice into small chunks about 2cms large. Place in a large bowl, and toss in the oil, salt, and fresh pepper to coat well. Pour onto a baking sheet, and cook on center rack for 20 minutes. Squash should be tender and easy to pierce with a fork when removed from oven. Place cooked squash into a saucepan and mash to the consistency of mashed potatoes. Set aside.
The Vegetable Mixture
1 Zucchini thinly sliced
1 med sized bag of fresh spinach diced into 3 cm chunks (About 3 cups worth, it will reduce upon cooking)
2 Tomatoes (Try heirlooms here!) medium dice
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
Heat olive oil in a fry pan. Sauté Zucchini and garlic over medium heat until zucchini is soft, about two minutes. Add Spinach, and mix just until the spinach wilts and begins to shrink. Remove from heat, and sprinkle diced tomatoes over mixture. Set aside.
The Assembly
Start by putting a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes on the bottom of your baking pan, and sprinkle with pepper.
Put a layer of noodles on top.
Spread your squash mixture over the noodles with a spatula, and cover with approximately half of your white sauce.
Put a layer of noodles on top.
Spread out 2 cups of grated sharp cheddar (or whichever cheese you prefer).
Put a layer of noodles on top.
Spread out your vegetable/tomato mixture, and sprinkle with Parmesan to taste
Put a layer of noodles on top.
Pour your remaining white sauce over the top, and cover with 2 cups of grated Mozzarella.
Bake at 350ºF for 25-35 minutes, or until top cheese is bubbly and sauces can be seen boiling in the pan.
Let sit for 10 minutes before service!
No comments:
Post a Comment