I finally made a recipe I’d been wanting to make for awhile: butternut squash lasagna cups, from Pinterest. I like lasagna, but I don’t love it like I love pizza. But it has a lot of the same elements, so you’d think I’d love it just as much … anyway, I haven’t spent much time trying to recreate noodles without grains, because I like spaghetti squash and kelp noodles and that about does it for pasta dishes. However, I’m glad I took the time to try this butternut squash lasagna recipe! It was AWESOME.
Here’s the full recipe. Naturally, I didn’t follow it closely, so I’ve pasted it below with my mods. Really, it’s pretty hard to mess up, because I did a dang good job of trying and it still tasted awesome.
Ingredients
1 peeled, seeded butternut squash (I sharpened the knife twice after the peeling process… I also didn’t bother to seed it, they come out when you slice)
1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing
1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese (fresh is best!)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh minced oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus 12 whole leaves for garnish (SKIPPED but added rosemary to spices)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (could sub arrowroot powder here, anything to thicken)
2 cups milk, slightly warmed on stove or in microwave –> (this made WAY too much sauce for me, I’d definitely make a lot less, maybe even just 1/2 cup…)
salt & pepper
1 cup fontina cheese, freshly shredded (SKIPPED, mainly because I forgot to buy it)
1/2 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
freshly ground nutmeg, for garnishing (SKIPPED, meh)
1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing
1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese (fresh is best!)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh minced oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus 12 whole leaves for garnish (SKIPPED but added rosemary to spices)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (could sub arrowroot powder here, anything to thicken)
2 cups milk, slightly warmed on stove or in microwave –> (this made WAY too much sauce for me, I’d definitely make a lot less, maybe even just 1/2 cup…)
salt & pepper
1 cup fontina cheese, freshly shredded (SKIPPED, mainly because I forgot to buy it)
1/2 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
freshly ground nutmeg, for garnishing (SKIPPED, meh)
Instructions
1. Noodles: Using a mandoline (or a knife, but it will take a lot longer and your slices will be fat, but even then they WILL turn out okay), slice squash into 1/8 inch slices. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 10-15 minutes, or until squash just starts to become pliable.
2. Ricotta: While squash is baking, mix together ricotta, egg and oregano. Set aside.
3. Spinach: In a medium saute pan, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Saute garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, then add spinach. Cook until wilted. Remove from heat. Once cooled, squeeze out excess moisture (I didn’t squeeze), chop, and add to ricotta mixture.
4. Optional Sauce: In medium sauce pan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Let cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in warm milk. Continue cooking, stirring often, until sauce is simmering and thickened. Let sauce bubble gently until thick, about 5-10 minutes longer, stirring often so it doesn’t scorch on bottom. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Assemble + Bake: To assemble lasagna cups, spray muffin tin with cooking spray and place 12 of your largest slices in the bottom each muffin cup. Spoon a layer of the ricotta mixture in each cup, and pour some of the white sauce over the top. Sprinkle with Fontina cheese (OR NOT, or use parm) and repeat layers once more, this time laying the squash piece the other direction. Top with freshly grated Parmersan or Pecorino and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until brown and bubbly.
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