Butternut squash lasagna

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350F/gas mark 4.

Step 2

Remove the skin from the squash with a knife and roughly chop it into medium sized chunks. Add it to a large baking tray with the garlic cloves (skins still on), sprinkle over the oregano with a little salt and pepper and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Roast in the over for 30-35 minutes until soft and cooked through.

Step 3

Meanwhile make the pasta or skip this step if using shop bough fresh lasagne sheets.

Step 4

To make the pasta add the flour to a large mixing bowl or a large clean work surface and make a well in the middle. Crack the eggs into the well and whisk with a fork incorporating the flour slowly. Once the dough starts to come together begin kneading it with your hands.

Step 5

Use extra flour as needed to dust the work surface and continue to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it’s very smooth. Cut the dough in half, if there are tiny air bubbles inside then it’s ready, if not continue kneading. Wrap the pasta dough in cling film and set aside.

Step 6

Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Squeeze the garlic out of their skins and mash the garlic and squash together with a fork. (If there is a lot of liquid try to drain as much as you can and avoid the liquid when adding it to the lasagna).

Step 7

Next, grate the fontal or melting cheese of your choice and mix it with the ricotta in a bowl with half the nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper, set aside.

Step 8

Now make the white sauce, add the butter to a saucepan under a medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and stir into a paste. Cook the paste, stirring so it doesn’t burn for 1 minute then add half of the milk while whisking constantly to avoid any lumps.

Step 9

Once the sauce starts to thicken add the other half of the milk and whisk again until thick and creamy. Add the parmesan, pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir, turn off the heat once the parmesan has melted and set aside.

Step 10

If using fresh home made pasta, roll it out at this point. You want pasta sheets long enough to fit your baking dish.

Step 11

If using a pasta machine (easiest way) set the dial to the widest point (usually 0). Cut the pasta dough into 3 and feed the first piece through the machine. Fold one end of the pasta dough into the middle of the dough and the other end other that to create a third. Feed that through the machine once more. Repeat this 2-3 times then feed the dough through each number of the machine until you reach number 7 or 8 ( the dough should be nice and thin). Repeat this with all 3 pieces of dough.

Step 12

Add a couple of spoonfuls of white sauce to the bottom of an oven proof baking dish and spread it out evenly. Next add a layer of pasta (either freshly made or fresh shop bough, cut to size). Add a spoonful of squash the spread it out over the pasta.

Step 13

Next dot over some ricotta mixture, crumble a little goats cheese and tear over pieces of prosciutto. Finally drizzle over some more white sauce and spread it over the toppings. Repeat this until all the ingredients are used up, you should have at least 5 or 6 layers. Make sure to keep a little extra white sauce for the final layer.

Step 14

Cover the lasagna with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.

Step 15

Finally fry the sage leaves in 1 tbsp of olive oil for a few seconds, drain on kitchen paper then garnish the lasagna, serve.