I am not a fan of the concept of the celebrity chef…especially ones who have shows on the Food Network. I’ve already shared my venom for Bobby Flay and Emeril LaGasse on this blog, so now let’s all turn our attention to Michael Chiarello. I didn’t like him very much when he had his show Easy Entertaining on Food Network. He came across like a used car salesman: overly cheerful and fake. The few times I watched his show, I always felt like he was trying to sell me a Yugo (or worse yet, a Gremlin…the car, not the creature). And watching his ego and attitude on Top Chef: Masters solidly placed him on my list of chefs I’d like to punch in the face. If your attitude can actually make me root for Spike, something is definitely wrong. With all that in mind, I was surprised to come across a recipe credited to him that I actually wanted to make. But my love of food overrode my urge to whack him one and I decided to whip up his Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash.
And I hate to admit it, this was one of the best vegetarian lasagnas I’d ever had. Heck, it was one of the best lasagnas period. The slightly sweet flavor of the butternut squash complimented the sharp and pungent taste of sage. I used fresh pasta sheets from Severino Pasta, a new found gem discovered by The Boy at the Annapolis Whole Foods (sorry, they don’t have a shop within any of the DC area Whole Foods). We picked up the squash, eggs, ricotta and sage at the Bloomingdale Farmers Market and I used some garlic I had picked up earlier in the season at the Penn Quarter Farmers Market. In essence, this dish was a celebration of Fall at the DC farmers market. And I could get with that…even if I had to go through Michael Chiarello to get there.
Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna
Ingredients
- For the Squash Filling:
- 2 large butternut squash, about 3 to 5 pounds
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 large eggs
- For the Bechamel Sauce:
- 2 quarts whole milk
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp sage, minced
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- To Assemble Lasagna:
- 1 lb fresh pasta sheets (or no boil lasagna noodles)
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced into cubes
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the tough skin of the butternut squashes. Cut off the top and bottom ends of each squash and then cut them lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and then lay them flat on a cutting board. Cut up the squash into 1/2 inch chunks.
- Put the chunks into a mixing bowl and add the olive oil, sage, half the salt, nutmeg and ground pepper. Toss to evenly coat the squash chunks. Line two baking sheets with foil and then place the squash in single layers on each sheet. Roast for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until the squash is very soft and starting to brown. Make sure to stir the squash once or twice while its roasting.
- Once finished roasting, remove the squash and allow to cool to room temperature. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees.
- Puree the squash in the food processor until smooth. Combine the squash with the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, eggs, the remaining salt, and the pepper. You may need to use a whisk to get all the ricotta incorporated into the rest of the mixture. Cover and refrigerate the mixture until ready to assemble the lasagna.
- To prepare the bechamel sauce, bring the milk to a slow simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the sage and garlic to the butter, cook for 30 seconds, then whisk in the flour. Add about 3 cups of the milk, and whisk vigorously to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, while whisking continuously. Add the remaining milk and whisk again. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Adjust the heat to low to maintain a slow simmer, and cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes, whisking frequently. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- To assemble the lasagna: Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Pour one ladle full of the bechamel into the dish and spread to coat the bottom. Place a single layer of the pasta sheets on top of the sauce. Spread some of the squash mixture evenly over the pasta sheets and place 1/3 of the mozzarella chunks on top. Add 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan over the mozzarella. Evenly pour 2 or 3 ladles full of the sauce over the mozzarella/Parmesan layer. Repeat the above steps until all ingredients are used (using the 2-3 ladles of sauce between each layer). Keep building the layers until the pan is full to about 1/4-inch from the top. Finish with the squash puree and mozzarella/Parmesan cheese on top of it.
- Cover with foil and bake in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Allow lasagna to rest before slicing. Serve warm.
Number of servings (yield): 8
Meal type: dinner
Print This Recipe
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
i’m sure he doesn’t much appreciate people that take recipes for their blogs..the difference being that he probably doesn’t give you much thought..why not just j stew in your own venom
Incidentally, peeling butternut squash can cause contact dermititis (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butternut_squash#Preparation.2C_precautions.2C_allergic_reactions), although it is rare. (I always peel my squash, but my partner has had a mild reaction.) If readers with skin sensitivity want to make this (or any other similar) recipe, and don’t own latex gloves, they should simple slice the squash in half, remove the seeds, and bake the unpeeled squash face down in a little oil for 50 minutes. Let cool enough to handle, scoop out the insides, mix with sage, and proceed. (The toxins are only in the skin, and mostly break down when cooked.)
Your lasagna sounds delicious! Great way to use butternut squash:)
Thank you. Sounds like a great reccipe. Next time I would omit the pointless first paragraph. Like Theo, I think the method of roasting the squash halves in the oven is an easier approach than peeling.
Shaw-Girl
Thanks for your..ahhhh….back handed compliment. I actually think that the peel in the skin method of roasted give me a thinnly flavored squash. By exposing 6 sides to browing I am increasing flavor alot. Plus roasting in the sage flavor which is critical. Glad you like the recipe.
Exhale
Michael Chiarello
@ Arron – You’re more then welcome to your opinion, as am I. And considering the fact that this is a basic lasagna recipe with butternut squash (and after a bit of research), it’s clearly not solely Michael Chiarello’s recipe. Plenty of food blogs use other recipes and give credit to the source (as I have). And there is a thing called sarcastic humor. Sorry if you don’t get mine.
@ Karine – It really is a delicious lasagna.
@ Theo – Thank you for pointing out the possible skin allergy issue. I did talk with a few people about this recipe and was told unless you have skin allergies, do not simply roast the whole squash. The flavor of the sage won’t permeate as well if you simply mix in the sage after roasting.
@ John – I have a sarcastic/tongue-in-cheek approach to my writing. I am in no way a professional and do this for free. People are free to ignore my ramblings and move on to the recipe. I appreciate your view on the first paragraph as “pointless” but unless I’m being paid to write, I will continue to inject a bit of my personality into my blog.
@ Michael Chiarello – I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it’s you. But thank you for pointing out that having all sides of the squash chunks gives a better flavor. And thank you for realizing I have a silly sense of humor and in no way take myself seriously.
good lord, people take things so seriously!
The lasagna looks great!
Btw, I LOVE Bobby Flay!
Jeepers! Great recipe – and I will be making this using one of the honkin’ squash on my table right now.
I agree with you – it’s your blog and write what you want! I actually love bobby flay, not so much emeril, and i’m so/so on chiarello. i mean let’s face it – he’s no bayless, but he’s still a great chef! You know who drives me bonkers on food network? Sandra Lee!!!!! oh, and Rachael Ray too! ugh.
@ Olga – Haha! I guess celebrity chefs are a serious subject which mustn’t be ridiculed at all!
@ Heather – the lasagna is FANTASTIC! Really, you should try it. And thanks for the show of support. I think Sandra Lee drives everyone bonkers.
I just made this using keswick ricotta and produce from the 14th&U market. Also I added spinach to the bechamel sauce. So tasty!
This looks fantastic! I join with you in your desire to punch Michael Chiarello in the face. For someone so TV-savvy, you’d think he’d learn to check his ego a little when the cameras are on.
Oh.my.goodness. I made this recipe this weekend while stuck inside during the blizzard. Absolutely delicious. I added a layer of crumbled sage pork sausage, which I think made it even tastier. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I had a craving for butternut squash recipe the other week and yours was the most compelling I could find – and from a local blogger at that! It’s a pain in the ass to make, yes, but holy hell is it worth it. Bonus: the leftovers are gone, but I have one waiting for me in my freezer, too.