Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna

I totally made this recipe up. Ok, don't worry, it's awesome! Recently I was put on bed rest because our little baby girl decided that she might want to make an early appearance into the world. As a result, I've had a lot of free time on my hands, which I have been putting to good use making up lists of foods and recipes that I am craving. Feeling the crisp fall air rolling in, my food cravings have been turning to comfort foods, squash, and hot beverages. Anyone else??

I think lasagna is one of those go-to comfort foods for many people. Traditionally, I stick to a hearty meat sauce, herby ricotta, and layers of pasta. Well, there's certainly nothing wrong with a traditional lasagna, but I was really craving and autumnal version of the classic - something that was a little lighter, but still comforting and something that accentuated the classic fall flavors I had such strong hankerings for. And so butternut squash and mushroom lasagna was born.

I poked around the interwebs for recipes (that Andy could make me, of course) and nothing caught my eye. Meh. Obviously, the next logical step would be to make something up. So I did! I completely made up a recipe. And you know what? It worked! Beautifully! Yes, I was as surprised as you. Squash and mushrooms replaced the meat, and bechamel replaced the red sauce, but the general idea was still there. Luckily I had made enough lasagna in my life to know the "basics" - no runny ingredients, use good pasta and multiple thin layers, have flavor packed into each component, and there must be a cheesy top.

If you like fall flavors, you will love this recipe. It's warm and comforting, but not super heavy, and the flavors all complement each other perfectly. Try it, you'll love it. This isn't the fastest recipe you'll have in your book, but man oh man is it delicious... and worth every ounce of effort! Oh, and make sure you get a 3 pound squash for this recipe as the butternut squash layers are the best part of the whole dish! Yum!

Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna

Makes two 8"x8" pans, or one 11"x13" pan 

Ingredients
Butternut Squash Layer:
1 large butternut squash (3 pounds) peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp black pepper

Mushroom Layer:
1 tbsp. butter
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz. cremini mushrooms, cleaned
3 tbsp. chopped sage leaves
1 (10 oz.) box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
salt and pepper, to taste

Bechamel Sauce:
5 tbsp. butter
5 tbsp. flour
4 cups milk
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

lasagna sheets (fresh are best (1/2 lb), but you can use dry - just follow the directions on the package)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese


Directions:
Make the butternut squash layer. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the butternut squash cubes with the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and spread out on the baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing once, until the squash is very tender. Puree the squash (or mash) until smooth. Transfer squash to a medium bowl and mix in the ricotta, mozzarella, and egg. Stir to combine, then set aside and allow to cool.

Make the mushroom layer. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add the onion and garlic and saute until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. In the meantime, chop the mushrooms in a food processor (you can also chop by hand, but I found the food processor to be much easier!). You can go as chunky or fine as you want with the mushrooms, but smaller pieces make neater lasagna layers. Add the chopped mushrooms to the onions and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Allow the mushrooms to cook down and release their liquid, then continue cooking until all of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes total. Add the sage and spinach. Cook for 3 more minutes, then set aside and allow to cool.

Make the bechamel. In a medium pot, whisk together the flour and butter over medium heat until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in the milk. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a few grates of nutmeg. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Assemble the lasagna: You can use an 11x13" pan, or two 8x8" pans. (If you use the 8x8, you can freeze one for later... this is what I did and it will come in handy as a quick dinner when baby is here! Just assemble in a foil pan and cook according to the directions below. Cool, cover tightly with foil, and freeze. To re-heat, allow the lasagna to defrost in the fridge a day or two ahead of time, then cook at 400 degrees until heated through.).

In the bottom of the pan, spread a thin layer of bechamel, followed by one layer of pasta. Continue making thin layers as follows: squash, pasta, mushroom, bechamel, pasta, squash, pasta, bechamel. You should have two layers of butternut squash mixture and one layer of mushroom. Make sure you save enough bechamel to make a thin layer on top! On top of the last layer of bechamel, sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. 

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until melty and hot. If you want a toastier top, feel free to broil for 2 minutes at the end. 

Phew! A lot of steps, but it's totally worth it. Enjoy! :o)