Butternut Squash Lasagna with Walnut Ricotta – Amie Valpone

I’ve by no means made lasagna and to be clear, I’ve by no means had the slightest want to make it – even coming from an Italian household who loves Italian meals. The thought of lasagna appeared difficult and exhausting and I’d discover myself pondering, “Why bother”? Most of my meals for thus a few years has been about ease and comfort as a result of I barely had the power to boil water however now, it’s time for a complete new manner for me to cook dinner and really get pleasure from my meals. 

There’s one thing so comforting and scrumptious about pureed squash as a result of it will get so thick and creamy. Whether or not you’re utilizing it for a soup, sauce or this lasagna recipe, pureed squash looks like a giant heat hug when it’s freezing in Manhattan and that’s precisely what I wanted with these chilly temperatures the previous couple of weeks.

For this recipe, you’ll want a big butternut squash, your favourite lasagna noodles and walnuts together with a couple of different odds and ends. We’re roasting the squash till it’s tender and pureeing it in a meals processor. Whereas the squash is within the oven, we’re making the ricotta cheese, dairy-free, in fact, with walnuts and some different substances in a mini meals processor. Then, we’re layering the squash, the walnut ricotta and the noddles in a baking dish and tossing it into the oven till it’s effervescent and golden brown.

The cumin dusted butternut squash, creamy walnut ricotta, barely charred caramelized onions, tender noodles and some flecks of contemporary oregano all piled onto my fork was nothing in need of the best consolation meals I’ve ever made. I believe you’ll agree.

While you’re shopping for butternut squash, be sure you buy a squash that feels heavy while you decide it up. I counsel one with a thick neck and a small bulb, which is able to yield probably the most “squash meat” and fewer seeds. As with every vegetable, ensure that there aren't any cuts, bruises or mildew on the outer pores and skin. 

When it comes to the walnut ricotta, you’ll wish to spoon it into your mouth again and again and use it for varied different recipes, as effectively. So, why use walnuts when making my diary-free ricotta? Why not? I’m a giant fan of walnuts as a result of they lend a pleasant creaminess when pureed so that you don’t even miss the dairy.

When making any dip or sauce or dairy-free cheese, I extremely suggest utilizing a mini meals processor as a result of the recipe won't work in a big meals processor – the feel received’t be creamy as a result of there can be such a small quantity of meals in such a big processor and the blade received’t have the ability to whip it up in addition to a smaller meals processor. Right here’s the mini food processor I exploit.

For the lasagna noodles, I’m utilizing chickpea lasagna noodles – they’re grain-free and gluten-free however you need to use any noodles you want. 

Lastly, don’t skip the contemporary oregano. It makes the ENTIRE dish full.

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Walnut Ricotta

 

Writer: Amie

Recipe sort: Entree

• 1
  massive
  butternut squash
  halved and seeded
• olive oil
• sea salt
  to style
• 2
  massive
  pink onions
  thinly sliced
• 1 1/2
  tsp.
  floor cumin
• 1
  bundle
  gluten-free lasagna noodles
• 1
  Tbsp.
  contemporary oregano leaves
  for serving

• 2
  cups
  walnuts
• 1/4
  cup
  water
• 2
  Tbsp.
  water
• 1
  tsp.
  sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400 levels F. Put together a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to roast the squash. Additionally, put together an 8 x 12 inch baking dish with olive oil and put aside for the lasagna.

2. Place the squash lower facet down on the ready baking sheet and roast within the oven for 45 minutes or till very tender.

3. In the meantime, to make the caramelized onions, add a drizzle of olive oil (about 2 tsp.) to a big skillet. As soon as the oil is shimmering, add the onions and a pinch of sea salt. Toss the onions within the oil and unfold the onions evenly within the pan with a spatula, cowl, and scrape the pan each 5 minutes to make sure the onions begin to brown and change into very tender. Proceed to scrape the pan together with your spatula and cook dinner till the onions are a deep brown colour. Add some water or extra olive oil in case your onions begin to dry out. Enable the onions to cook dinner for half-hour or till the onions are browned and really tender.

4. Make the walnut ricotta by combining all of the Walnut Ricotta substances in a mini meals processor and puree till very thick and creamy.

5. Take away the squash from the oven and put aside to chill for five minutes or till it is cool sufficient to the touch. Utilizing a spoon, scrape out the squash flesh and switch it to a big meals processor with the ocean salt and cumin. Puree till the squash is creamy. Season to style with the salt and cumin.

6. Decrease the oven to 350 levels F. Coat backside of the ready baking dish with the squash purée then a layer of the lasagna noodles adopted by the ricotta and onions and proceed to layer till you employ up the entire substances. The highest layer must be the squash puree. Sprinkle the cumin excessive layer and add a couple of dollops of the walnut ricotta on prime, if desired.

7. Switch the lasagna to the oven on the decrease warmth of 350 levels F coated with parchment paper for 1 hour or till the noodles are tender. Take away the parchment paper and bake for one more 10 minutes. Take away the lasagna from oven and put aside for 10 minutes earlier than serving. Serve heat.

8. Retailer leftovers in a sealed glass container within the fridge for as much as 3 days or within the freezer for as much as 1 month.

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