BUTTERNUT SQUASH & LEEK LASAGNA
Dairy or Pareve
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Butternut Squash (large) (3 1/2 - 4 lbs) (rinsed) (halved lengthwise) (seeded)
- 4 Leeks (medium)
- 3 T Butter (unsalted butter or olive oil)
- 1/4 C Flour (all purpose)
- 4 C Milk (or pareve soymilk)
- 1 t Thyme
- 1 t Salt
- 1/2 t Nutmeg
- Black pepper to taste
- 9 Lasagna noodles (no-boil) (uncooked)
- Optional: 8 oz Gouda or Fontina cheese (grated)
Roast The Squash:
- 1. Pre-heat the oven to 425° F.
- 2. Brush the butternut squash halves with olive oil & place face down on a lightly oiled
baking pan. - 3. Roast the squash for 45 minutes to an hour,or until the squash is tender & the skin is beginning to blister & turn brown in spots.
- 4. Remove the squash from the oven & set aside until it is cool enough to handle.
- 5. Reduce the oven heat to 350° F.
Prepare The Leeks:
- 1. While the squash is roasting, clean the leeks, slice off the root ends & peel away any
outer layers that are specially tough or are trapping large amounts of dirt. - 2. Give the leeks & your knife a rinse & chop off the dark green tops, the tough upper
portion of the leeks that fan out). - 3. Slice the leeks lengthwise, separating or fanning out the leaves & rinse under cold
running water, this is a good time to check for bugs. - 4. Return the leeks to a clean cutting board & thinly slice crosswise.
- 5. If your leeks are very large, give the halves a 2nd lengthwise cut before slicing
crosswise. - 6. Transfer the sliced leeks to a large bowl filled with cold water,& swish the leeks around
with clean hands to loosen any remaining soil. - 7. Scoop the leeks into another bowl & discard the dirty water.
- 8. Return the leeks to the first bowl, add fresh water & repeat the process until the leeks
are clean & the water remains clear. - 9. Drain the leeks & set aside.
Tip:
You can simplify the cleaning process & avoid fishing for leeks by nesting a large mesh
strainer in the rinsing bowl.
Just lift the leek-filled strainer out of the dirty water & return it to the bowl of clean water
for each subsequent rinse.
Prepare The Squash:
- 1. Once the squash has cooled enough to touch, turn the halves over & scoop the flesh|
into a large bowl. - 2. Discard the skin.
- 3. Mash the squash with a large fork until it is fairly smooth & set it aside.
Make The Leek Béchamel:
- 1. Melt the butter or warm the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch
oven set over medium heat. - 2. Add the leeks & cook, stirring frequently, until they soften & the white parts begin to
turn translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. - 3. Sprinkle the leeks with the flour & continue to cook for 2 minutes more, stirring
constantly. - 4. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly & cook until bubbles begin to break the
surface. - 5. Reduce the heat & simmer for 5 to 7 minutes more or until the sauce is thick enough
to coat the back of a spoon. - 6. Whisk in the thyme, salt, nutmeg & pepper & remove from the heat & set aside.
Assemble The Lasagna:
- 1. Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- 2. Ladle about 1 C of sauce into the baking dish & spread to coat the bottom.
- 3. Cover the sauce with 3 Lasagna noodles, leaving a bit of space between each,the
pasta sheets will expand as they cook. - 4. Cover the noodles with 1/2 of the mashed butternut squash, spreading it into an even
layer with a spatula or clean hands & work gently so you don't break the noodles. - 5. Sprinkle with a 3rd of the grated cheese (if using).
- 6. Top with 3 more noodles.
- 7. Ladle one cup of the sauce over the noodles & spread evenly to coat.
- 8. Make another layer with the rest of the squash,half of the remaining cheese &
another cup of sauce. - 9. Cover with the last 3 noodles & enough sauce to completely cover them.
- 10. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese.
Bake The Lasagna:
- 1. Cover the baking dish with foil, tenting if necessary so that it doesn't touch the top
layer of noodles. - 2. Bake in the 350° F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling & the
noodles are tender. - 3. Remove the foil & bake for about 10 minutes more or until the cheese is golden.
- 4. Remove from the oven & allow the Lasagna to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
♦♦♦♦♦
Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 105 minutes | Resting time: 10 minutes
Yield: Serves 6 - 8
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