Lasagna Get's A Make-Over

I love butternut squash.  I love lasagna.  Years ago when I saw that Giada had put the two together, I had to give her recipe a try.  It really is one of my favorite go-to recipes.  I have made this for a dinner party and it is even a great gift for a family with a new baby since it freezes beautifully and can last days.  I'm sad that I cannot take credit for this recipe, but it is too good to keep it a secret any longer.


Giada's Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (in a pinch, you can buy the frozen, pre-cut butternut squash lasagna.  It is a time saver and still very good.)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 amaretti cookies, crumbled (this is a secret ingredient and cannot be omitted, but sometimes it is hard to find amaretti cookies.  I have substituted ginger snaps or any kind of almond cookies that I can find.  Adding a cookie to a lasagna sounds crazy, I know, but it just adds another dimension to the flavor that cannot be compromised.)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• Pinch nutmeg
• 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles or get the regular kind and boil them ahead of time.  (The no-boil lasagna noodles work beautifully and are a time saver.)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. If you are using the frozen squash, just heat them up in a large skillet.  Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti cookies and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.  You can either continue the instructions below or simply freeze it/ refrigerate for later in the week.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.