This week on Tonia's Kitchen, we've heard from several chefs featured in the April edition of Every Day With Rachael Ray Magazine and their inspired recipes. Today, we get to hear about one of Rachael's very own dishes, her Butternut Lasagna. Food Features Editor Gabriella Gershonon told Tonia that the recipe was inspired from Rachael's own childhood, but is a very elegant lasagna! And one that Gabriella says, makes an excellent fall dish!LISTEN TO THE PODCAST
Rach's Butternut Squash and Escarole Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1
4 ounce stick butter
- About
1/2 cup flour
- About
4 cups 1 qt. chicken stock, warmed
- 1 quart whole
milk, warmed
- Freshly
grated or ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons olive
oil
- 1 onion,
finely chopped
- 4 large
cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 large
head escarole, sliced
- 1 butternut
squash (about 1 lb.)-peeled, halved, seeded and very thinly sliced on
slicer side of box grater or mandoline
- 3 -
4 tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh sage, plus 10 small leaves
for garnish
- Dry
egg pasta sheets or no-boil lasagna sheets, preferably Barilla
- 2 cups shredded
Fontina Val d'Aosta or Gruyere
- 1 cup grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano
directions
- In a
large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and
bring to bubble, whisking constantly (do not brown), 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk
in about 3 1/2 cups warm stock (reserve a little for the escarole), then
whisk in the warm milk. Bring the sauce to a low simmer, whisking
occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper
and nutmeg.
- In a
large skillet, heat the oil, two turns of the pan, over medium. Add the
onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the escarole; season. Add the remaining 1/2 cup stock and cook, tossing
often, until wilted, about 5 minutes; drain excess liquid.
- Preheat
the oven to 375 degrees . Toss the squash and sliced sage;
season. (Set 2 cups of sauce aside.) Coat the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan
or two 8-inch square pans with a layer of sauce. Top with pasta sheets,
breaking if needed, to cover in a single layer. Top with about one-third
of the squash, one-third of the greens and one-third of the sauce. Repeat
layering with the remaining pasta sheets, squash, greens and sauce to
create 4 layers of pasta and 3 layers of fillings. Top with reserved
sauce; sprinkle with the cheeses. Arrange sage leaves on top.
- Cover
with foil, tenting in the center to prevent sticking. Bake 40 minutes.
Uncover; bake until brown and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 20
minutes before serving.
