Recipe: Mushroom and Butternut Squash Lasagne

Recipe Source: Gold, Rozanne.  "Entertaining Made Easy: Green Party."  Bon Appetit, volume 49 number 11, pp. 90 - 92.  November 2004.

 The path to my actual preparation of this recipe can best be described as "fortuitous," although it certainly didn't seem that way at the time.  I had decided to make it as a weeknight meal when I was home alone, respecting my husband's then-strong dislike of squash.  I planned to freeze most of it.  Anyway, I got home, got set up to make the dish, and realized I had forgotten ricotta.  The next day I realized that I was also lacking in lasagne noodles.  The next day I figured out that I lacked Parmesan.  At this point, you're probably a) writing me off as the world's least organized cook, which is probably not far from the truth, and b) figuring that I should just give up the ghost and not cook the recipe, which is what I did.  I postponed it in my calendar for another week and a half or so, deciding to serve it for Sunday dinner instead.  Well, that day we wound up having company for dinner.  One half of the couple is a vegetarian.  Ordinarily he'd have been out of luck, as it was kind of short notice, but I had already decided on a vegetarian meal.  And I was able to send the leftovers home with him at the end of the day, which was even better! 

I made changes, as I always do.  I lacked vegetable broth, but I had white wine and used that.  I used dried thyme instead of fresh, and I used more mushrooms than required by the recipe.  I used slightly less ricotta than called for, and substituted grated Arvina goat cheese for the the Parmesan.  Yes, I know that the flavors and textures are worlds apart, but I couldn't find a good price on decent Parmesan and as we all know, goat cheese makes everything better.  The lasagne went over very well, even with my husband (who said, and I quote, "I can't believe I'm having a second helping of squash.") 

Mushroom and Butternut Squash Lasagne (serves 8; approx. $4.99/serving)

1/4 cup butter

3 onions, chopped

10 ounces baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

1 large butternut squash, peeled and very thinly sliced

14 ounces white wine

4 tablespoons dried thyme

4 tablespoons fresh sage, sliced

32 ounces ricotta cheese

4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

2 cups shredded Arvina goat cheese

4 eggs

about 1/2 package no-boil lasagne noodles

Equipment:

• Saute pan
• 2 large bowls
• Lasagne or roasting pan

1. Melt the butter in the saute pan over medium high heat. 
2. Add the onions.  Saute until soft.
3. Increase heat to high.  Add mushrooms and cook until tender.
4. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.  Transfer to the bowl.
5. In the same saute pan, combine the squash slices, the wine, the thyme and 3 tablespoons of the sage. 
6. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is just tender, about 6 minutes.
7. Uncover and cook another 5 minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
9. Mix ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella, 1 1/2 cups of the goat cheese and the remaining sage in the second large bowl.  Add eggs and salt and pepper to taste.
10. Prepare the lasagne pan with either oil or non-stick spray, your choice.  I used the spray. 
11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
12. Spread about 1 cup of the ricotta mixture over the bottom.
13. Arrange 3 noodles on top.
14. Spread 1 3/4 cup ricotta on top of the noodles (I didn't really measure this carefully, but I'm including the measurement as a guideline. 
15. Sprinkle with 1/2 the mushrooms and 1 cup of the remaining mozzarella.
16. Top with more noodles, then with more of the ricotta mixture, the squash and the remaining mushrooms.
17. Add more noodles, then top with the remaining ricotta mixture and the remaining goat cheese and any remaining mozzarella.
18. Cover with oiled foil.
19. Bake covered for 35 minutes.
20. Remove the cover and bake another 25 minutes.
21. Let stand another 10 minutes before serving. 

Comments

[Mochachocolata Rita]

I am soo loving this idea. Will try as soon as sous chef's therapy is done. oh myyyy

[[eatingclub] vancouver]

Just wanted to tell that I've been emboldened by this recipe and made a mushroom lasagna the other day. Thanks!

[Jessica Voloudakis]

Thank you! I'd love to try a mushroom lasagne... right now, as I watch people try to get home ahead of the latest Storm of the Century...