Make Lasagne with Fall Vegetables and Sage Bechamel

This is a great time of the year for entertaining, but hosting a dinner party can be extra stressful during the holiday season. Entertaining at home doesn't need to be difficult or expensive. This lasagne takes a bit of time to make, but it's very easy, so don't let the long instructions deter you. Best of all you can assemble the lasagna earlier in the day and then pop it in the oven when your guests arrive or an hour before you want to serve it. It was really delicious, and we all agreed that this was something to make again.

Although this is a vegetarian dish, it is hearty enough that no one will miss the meat. My daughter bought the butternut squash at her local farmers market for about $5.00. It was so huge I used less than a third of it for this dish. I didn't worry about shallots in the bechamel, I just sliced some red onions. Not counting my pantry staples such as onions and garlic, I spent about $20.00 to make this meal, which makes it a bit pricey as a family dinner (although we will get two meals out of it), but quite economical for a dish for guests. Add a green salad and you have a lovely, relaxed dinner.

Lasagne with Fall Vegetables, Gruyere, and Sage Bechamel

Vegetable Filling
3 lbs butternut squash, peeled seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 lbs portobello mushroom caps or cremini mushrooms, trimmed if necessary and cut into 1/2 cubes
3tbs extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 dried ancho chilies
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 very large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 lbs spinach, washed and touch stems discarded

Sage Bechamel
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 large or 2 small shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh sage
1 bay leave
6 tbsp unsalted butter
6 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated
1 package fresh lasagne noodles, or oven ready dried noodles

For the Filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a large bowl, toss the squash and mushrooms with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, 1 tsp salt and plenty of pepper. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet, setting aside the bowl for later use. Roast the vegetables, stirring every 10 minutes, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.


2. Meanwhile, cut open the chilies with kitchen shears and discard the seeds and stem. Place the chilies in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let sit until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and finely chop.


3. In a medium skillet, melt the butter and the remaining 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp of salt and cook, stirring, until the onions are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chilies and garlic and cook, stirring for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.


4. Return the roasted vegetables to the bowl and stir in the onion mixture. Season with salt and peppers.


5. Place the spinach, with some water stilling clinging to its leaves, in a large pot and cook, covered, over high heat until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool, then squeeze dry and coarsely chop. Transfer the spinach to the bowl with the roasted vegetables and mushrooms.

For the Bechamel

1. Pour the milk into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately take the pan off the heat. Stir in the onion, shallots, sae and bay leaf, cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain the milk and discard the solids.


2. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is fragrant and a shade darker, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 20 minutes.

At Assemble the Lasagna:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread a quarter of the bechamel on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch lasagna pan or gratin dish. Make one layer of noodles, slightly overlapping. Spread half of the roasted vegetables over the noodles and sprinkle with a quarter of the cheese. Make a second layer of pasta, and add another layer of bechamel, then add the rest of the vegetables and another layer of cheese. Top with pasta and remaining bechamel and cheese.


2. Butter a piece of parchment paper and lay it buttered side down over the lasagna. Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the lasagna is golden brown and bubling, 10 to 1 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Adapated from The Flexitarian Table by Peter Berley.

Difficulty Level: Easy

Related Posts:
Use up that Leftover Turkey: Barley Risotto with Wild Mushrooms
Cooking Basics: Fusilli with Tomato and Chickpea Sauce
Find Your Dinner at the Farmers' Market: Gruyere Stuffed Red Peppers

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