sweet and pea

Sage is one of the few herbs that continues to grow in my garden year round, so I’m always looking for ways to cook with it. This vegetarian lasagna is my favourite so far. I first made it about five years ago, mainly because it struck me as an exceedingly odd recipe, who puts hazelnuts in lasagna?

Turns out, everyone should put hazelnuts in their lasagna. The recipe relies heavily on butternut squash, which can take a lot of seasoning. I often increase the salt, garlic, and parmesan if the squash I’m using are on the bland side. I’m also planning on trying this recipe with other root vegetable, yam maybe?

Time: 2.5 hours

Serves: 6-8

Adapted from: Epicurious

Filling

Ingredients:

2 butternut Squash

3 tablespoons oil

Salt and pepper

1 large onion

6-8 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

Steps:

1. preheat oven to 400F Halve and seed butternut squash, season and place face down on oiled parchment paper. Bake until golden, 30-45 minutes
2. Saute onion in butter until soft, stir in garlic, herbs and hazelnuts and remove from heat
3. Cube cooked butternut squash (discard skin) and mix into onion hazelnut mixture and set aside

Sauce

Ingredients:

2-4 cloves of garlic

3 tablespoons buttr

5 tablespoons flour

5 cups whole milk

salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Saute garlic in butter for 1-2 minutes, then stir in flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes
2. Stirring constantly, slowly pour in 5 cups of milk (works best of milk is warm)
3. Stir over low heat until sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper

Lasagna

1/2 pound of mozzarella

1 cup grated parmesan

No boil lasagna noodles

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 425, oil a lasagna tray
2. Pour 1/2 cup sauce into baking dish and layer noodles on top. Continue with 2/3 cup of sauce, 1/3 filling and a handful of cheese. Repeat 2 more times
3. Top lasagna with noodles, remaining sauce and cheese
4. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes, remove foil ten minutes before end to brown cheese
5. Sprinkle with chopped sage