Butternut Squash and Sage Sausage Lasagna

 I was struck with an idea not too long ago. Lasagna: but make it Fall! Sort of a cross between your classic meat lasagna and veggie lasagna but with Fall flavors.  Sage sausage instead of ground beef, cooked with bell peppers, onion, and kale.  And in place of marinara is a velvety butternut squash puree that serves as the sauce component.  Of course, there’s a rich ricotta filling and bubbly brown mozzarella on top because what’s lasagna without cheese?  It tastes great...but kind of looks like crap.  I don’t know....I just think casseroles can be so hard to photograph.  It just doesn’t look as good in a picture as it does in person.  But it tastes great and is a fun, seasonal twist on a classic.

 

Butternut Puree/Sauce

2lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch pieces 

2 tb oil, or oil spray 

2 tsp. kosher salt

Pepper to taste

½ tsp. garlic powder 

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

 

Ricotta Filling

15oz container ricotta 

1 egg, beaten

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ tsp. dried thyme

 

Sausage Layer

½ onion, smallndiced

1 sweet bell pepper, small diced

1lb. sage sausage

Couple handfuls torn or chopped kale leaves

 

Other

12 lasagna noodles boiled (or you may use oven ready noodles)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

 

Sauce: Toss butternut squash cubes in oil (or use spray) and spread out evenly on a parchment or foil lined sheet tray.  Roast in a 400 preheated oven until soft (about 25 minutes)

Transfer the cooked squash to a food processor.  Add your salt, pepper, garlic powder, and broth and blend until smooth. This should yield about 4 cups of sauce.

Ricotta Layer: Mix ricotta cheese, beaten egg, salt, garlic powder, thyme, and parmesan cheese together.

Sausage Layer: Crumble and brown the sage sausage.  Add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook until soft.  (if the fat from the sausage wasn’t enough to cook the vegetables, add a touch of oil) Once the onion and peppers are soft, remove from the heat and stir in a few handfuls of chopped kale.  You don’t need to cook the kale as it will when it is baked.   

Assembly: Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Spread half of your butternut sauce in the dish. (should be about 2 cups).  Lay out 4 of your boiled (or oven ready) lasagna noodles in the dish to cover the sauce.  Next, spread half the ricotta mixture over the noodles.  Spread half the sausage/veggie mixture on the ricttoa. Layer 4 more lasagna noodles over the sausage layer. Spread the remaining half of the ricotta on the noodles, then the remaining sausage over that.  Add your third and final layer of noodles.  Spread the last of the butternut squash sauce over top. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly on top

From top to bottom.

Mozzarella cheese

Butternut sauce

Noodle

Sausage

Ricotta

Noodle

Sausage

Ricotta

Noodle

Butternut sauce

Bake: Cover with nonstick sprayed foil and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes until heated all the way through.  Remove the foil the last 10-15  minutes to allow the cheese to brown, or broil.  Allow to set up for about 10-15 minutes before cutting.