Adapted by #FullPlateByJay from recipe by Jennifer Perillo found in The Spruce Eats blog
In this lasagna, a luscious béchamel sauce gets laced with ground pork, onions, mushrooms, and herbs that perfectly compliment the sweet, earthy flavor of roasted squash. Using sheets of no-boil lasagna noodles, you get to skip a step… just make sure that each layer of dried noodles gets covered completely, and allow the lasagna a two-hour rest in the fridge before you bake it off. Serves 8 - 10.
Ingredients
Cubes of butternut squash gets joined with fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme… olive oil, seasoning salt, and pepper before getting high-heat roasted until it’s tender.
1½ pound butternut squash (peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes)
Olive oil (for drizzling; and sautèing)
3 T. fresh sage, rosemary, thyme leaves, minced (use the fresh pack of poultry herbs)
Seasoning salt (to taste)
Ground black pepper (to taste)
- - -
1 large egg
8 oz. shredded Italian-style cheese blend
8 oz. ricotta cheese
3 T. flat-leaf parsley, minced
½ tsp. Mrs. Dash
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- - -
The seasoned, sautéed pork (left) waiting to be joined by the onion and mushrooms… ultimately, they’ll meet in the creamy bèchamel
1 lb. lean ground pork
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash
1 tsp. Legg’s Old Plantation pork-sausage seasoning (worth getting from Amazon… it’s great to use making your own pork or turkey sausage; as a seasoning for a pork roast; and as a rub for salmon)
½ tsp. poultry seasoning
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
½ large yellow onion, finely diced
8 oz. package crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- - -
4 T. flour
4 T. butter
½ tsp. Mrs. Dash
½ tsp. seasoning salt
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. white pepper
2 cups milk
- - -
12 (4 x 6-inch) no-boil lasagna sheet (around 12 oz.)
½ cup grated Parmesan, Romano, or Pecorino cheese
Instructions / Method
Lightly coat a 9x 13 Pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
The egg, ricotta, and Italian cheese mixture (left) and the mash of roasted squash… ready to be assembled into the lasagna.
Add squash to a rimmed sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle lightly with oil then toss with herbs, seasoning salt, and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until the squash is golden and tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then mash with the back of a fork or potato masher
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the egg, Italian-cheese blend, and ricotta. Season with parsley, Mrs. Dash, and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
The velvety bèchamel, cloaking the pork, onion, mushroom mixture. Ready to join the lasagna!
In medium skillet heat olive oil over medium-high. Add sausage and seasonings; sauté as you break up the meat, and cook it until it begins to brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Add more oil to the pan and add the onions and mushrooms, sautéed until they’ve softened and turned golden. Add to the meat, and set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and seasonings. Stir to cook the flour for about a minute. Make the béchamel sauce by whisking in the milk until smooth and combined. Reduce heat to medium, and whisk in the milk mixture until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the sausage, onion, mushroom mixture.
Assemble the lasagna. Spread ½ of the béchamel-sausage mix into the bottom of prepared 9 x 13 casserole. Add 4 noodles to cover the bottom of the pan. Spread ½ of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then top with ½ of the butternut squash.
Assembling the layers, as the lasagna begins to take form.
Repeat with the remaining noodles, ricotta and butternut squash, ending with a layer of noodles. Pour the remaining béchamel-sausage mix over the top layer of noodles. Sprinkle the grated cheese over top. Allow to rest in the fridge for two hours.
When ready to bake, allow the lasagna to rest on the counter, coming back to room temperature, for 30 minutes. Place a rack in the upper-third of the oven and reheat to 425 degrees. Bake the lasagna on the top rack, covered for 25 minutes; then uncovered for 20 minutes longer, until the noodles are tender and the top layer is golden brown.
Allow to rest five minutes before slicing and serving.