With Fall in full swing, I took advantage of this season’s ingredients and layered them all in one delicious lasagna. Don’t be fooled by the list of vegetables, this is still a hearty dish. Butternut squash and sweet potato add a wonderful sweetness, while the spinach, kale, leeks and bacon help offset the rich flavor with saltiness while adding texture. Top it all off with ricotta and a beschamel sauce and you’ve got the perfect Fall dinner. I was inspired to create this dish from all the brightly colored ingredients currently in season. I used what was fresh and available at local markets, but feel free to substitute.
for the filling:
1 butternut squash (about 4 cups), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 leeks thinly chopped
1 lb lasagna strips (enough for 3 layers)
oil olive
unsalted butter
8 oz spinach roughly chopped
8 oz kale with stems removed and roughly chopped
4 strips thick bacon
12 oz ricotta
green onion chopped
for the beschamel:
1 3/4 pints milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 bay leaf
A few sprigs of rosemary
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup grated parmesan
Preheat over to 425 degrees. Toss butternut squash and sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 25 – 30 minutes.
While the squash and potatoes are baking, begin to prep the spinach filling. In a large pan cook the bacon until crispy. Set on paper towels to drain then chop into small pieces. Using the same pan melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add in the leeks and cook until translucent. Then add the chopped spinach and kale and saute until completely wilted. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the chopped bacon. Set aside.
Remove roasted squash and potatoes from the oven. Place into a medium sized bowl and mash. Boil the lasagna noodles until just al dente and set aside in a bowl of cool water.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Drizzle a little of the beschamel on the bottom of a baking dish and top with a layer of the noodles. Spread 1/2 of the butternut squash mixture over noodles. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1 cup of ricotta mixture over noodles and 1/2 of the spinach mixture. Repeat layering once more (noodles, squash, noodles, ricotta/spinach). In each layer add in a small portion of the beschamel sauce. Finish off with the remaining beschamel, parmesan and sprinkle the top with green onions.
Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbling. Enjoy!
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