I started writing this recipe some time ago but got into the OMG-I-am-moving-to-Berlin mood and never completed it, so here it is.
It’s fall so it’s squash season! Mmm that orange yummyness of butternut squash is finally here again and I started the season with the most luxurious squash recipe I know: Squash and sausage lasagna.
I love fall, the temperature starts to be chilly but not yet cold, the leaves change color and the streets are full of crispy leaves that crunch under your feet… well not in Florida but you know what I am talking about :)
Ingredients
- 2 lb butternut squash (1 kg)
- 4 tbs butter (divided)
- 4 tbs olive oil (divided)
- salt
- black pepper
- chives
- 1/2 yellow sweet onion
- 1 lb sausages, bratwurst work well, mild italian are good too (500 gr)
- 1/2 cup white wine (1/2 glass)
- sage and rosemary (2 sprigs)
- Besciamella sauce
- 6 tbs butter (90 gr)
- 9 tbs flour (75 gr)
- 3 cups milk (750 ml)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- nutmeg to taste
- Barilla Lasagne Pasta (small blue rectangular box)
- grated parmesan to taste
Directions
Cut the squash, remove the skin (my 2 cents here) and toss in a large pan where it fits comfortably with 3 tbs of butter, 3 tbs of olive oil and 2 tbs of water. Crack some salt, black pepper and chive to taste. Cover, turn on the heat to medium-low and cook until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and puree the squash.
While the squash is cooking prepare the sausage sauce.
Cut the onion in thin slices and stir fry with the remaining butter and olive oil (1 tbs each). Add the sausage (remove the skin and break into small pieces or buy ground sausage) and cook stirring frequently (picture 1).
After a couple of minutes pour the wine and let evaporate. Add sage chopped and rosemary, picture 2 (I didn’t chop it so I could remove the sprigs later). Cook at low heat until the sausage is done (picture 3).
Prepare the besciamel sauce following these directions. Note that the recipe calls for 750 ml of besciamel and the correct amount of the different ingredients is given above!
Almost there… turn on the oven at 360ºF (180ºC) :)
Mix the sausage with the squash and now you are ready to assemble!
Note: I usually boil the lasagna pasta a little before using it, but since my grandma doesn’t I decided to try not to. The only difference is that you need to keep the besciamella sauce a bit more runny, so the pasta can absorb it and become tender. Also I spread some besciamella on each layer of pasta to create additional moisture right by the pasta.
Butter you pan, I used a 13″x8″ (33×20 cm) pirex pan. Spread some besciamella sauce (picture 4) and make a layer of lasagna pasta, spread a little besciamella, make a layer of squash and sausage (picture 5), cover with besciamella (picture 6) and start the next layer: pasta, a little besciamella, squash and sausage and besciamella. Make 3 layers then finish with a layer of pasta and cover with besciamella (picture 7), finally spread the top with grated parmesan.
Toss in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let stand and then enjoy :D
Tip:
Lasagna is ALWAYS better if you let it sit for a while, the next day is just amazing! So it is perfect for the upcoming holidays, make it in advance, keep it in the refrigerator and when you are ready just reheat in the oven.
I often freeze lasagna in single portions. After you reheat in the oven it is just as good as fresh!
PS: There was supposed to be a picture of a nice slice of lasagna but I can’t find it… You are going to have to trust me, it was beautiful, and yummy, maybe that’s why there is no picture :P
