Staying home means I’m making pasta from scratch more often. I used to think that homemade pasta wasn’t worth all the effort, until I used homemade noodles in a lasagna. That’s when I realized how good they really can be. You don’t have to make your own pasta for this Butternut Squash Lasagna, but it makes it even tastier. My version of this lasagna is filled with a butternut squash puree stirred into a creamy béchamel sauce, dollops of pesto, fresh mozzarella torn into pieces, and grated parmesan. I skipped the ricotta, because it’s so much better without it! Trust me on this one.
I learned my pasta technique from Julia Turshen’s cookbook, Small Victories, which is the most beautiful cookbook filled with simple recipes. Everything is just so cookable! I loved her lasagna recipe that skipped the ricotta. I realized all these years that lasagna doesn’t really need it. Plus the Italian way is to use béchamel instead of ricotta. I’m also not a huge fan of chunks of vegetables in my lasagna, so I opted to roast and then puree a butternut squash. I mixed this into my cream sauce for the most perfect creamy lasagna base. Trust me, you’re going to love this beautiful Butternut Squash Lasagna. See the full recipe below.
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil for drizzling
- 3⅓ cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 4 eggs
- 6 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1¾ cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup pesto (about 6 oz store bought or homemade)
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Preheat your oven to 375 F.
- Cut the ends off the butternut squash with a sharp knife. Placing the bottom cut end flat on the cutting board, slice the butternut squash in half longways. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Drizzle olive oil on the cut sides of the squash. Place them cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.
- If you choose, you can skip this step and buy store bought noodles, boiling them first or use oven ready noodles.
- In the bowl of an 8 cup food processor, add your flour and salt. Pulse a couple times. Add the eggs and blend on high until the dough comes together in a ball in the food processor, about 30 seconds. If dough isn't coming together, add 1 teaspoon of water and blend again, adding water one teaspoon at a time until the dough sticks to itself. The dough should not stick to your fingers when handled. If it's too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time, blending between each addition until the texture is no longer sticky. Remove the dough, pat into a ball then flatten lightly into a 1½ inch thick disc with your palm. Cover tightly with saran wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 mins to an hour.
- Once your dough is rested, divide the dough into 9 even pieces. Cover the pieces in a bowl with saran wrap while you work each one individually. Prepare a surface where you can lay out your pasta once it's rolled.
- Lightly pat one piece of dough with your hands to flatten it. Flour both sides of the dough. Using your pasta maker on your largest setting, run the dough through. Continue by increasing the setting each time, running the dough through twice on each setting, until you have a very thin dough that's only slightly transparent. I usually go to about 5 or 6, but each pasta maker is different. Once your dough is the desired thickness, set it aside, dust it lightly with flour, and continue on to the next piece. Cover all your pasta with a dish towel until you're ready to use.
- Scoop out the flesh of the butternut squash and puree in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
- In a dutch oven or saucepan, add your butter over medium heat to melt. Add your flour and mix together continually with a whisk to make a roux. Cook this, stirring frequently for 3 minutes, until the roux is lightly browned and nutty smelling. Add a splash of the milk and whisk in. Then add the remaining milk and cream, whisking until smooth. Turn the heat down to low and cook 3-4 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 cup of the parmesan and mix in until the parmesan is melted. Add the butternut squash and mix again. Taste the sauce for salt. Then set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In the bottom of a 9 x 14 baking dish, add about ¼ cup of sauce. Top with a layer of noodles, cutting the noodles to fit in a single layer. Top with a cup of sauce, then ¼ cup mozzarella torn into small pieces, ¼ cup grated parmesan, and a few dollops of pesto scattered across. Repeat with 3 more layers, ending with noodles, then mozzarella and parmesan (omitting the pesto on the top).
- Bake the lasagna uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until the top is browned lightly and bubbly. Let it cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
