Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna with Italian Sausage and Taleggio

Absolutely! You can assemble the entire lasagna the day before you plan to bake it. Store it tightly covered in the refrigerator. Before baking, let the dish sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to prevent thermal shock in a hot oven and ensure even cooking.

Yes, this lasagna freezes beautifully. Once assembled (either baked or unbaked), cover it tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. It can be frozen in a freezer-safe dish for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, defrost it completely in the refrigerator overnight before reheating in the oven until piping hot.

• 1 medium Butternut squash, (1kg/2lbs untrimmed, 700g/1.5lbs trimmed)
• 2 garlic cloves, whole and peeled
• 4 sage leaves, fresh
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1.5 lbs (700g) Italian sausages, skins removed
• 7 oz (200g) Taleggio cheese, rind removed
• ⅓ cup (80ml) water

For the Béchamel

• 80 g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 80 g flour, (all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
• 4 cups (1 litre) whole milk
• 1 pinch fresh grated nutmeg
• 1 cup (70g) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus extra for grating
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, for cooking

For the Pasta

• 300 g Italian 00 flour, (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, (175g eggs total)
• Or use 450g/1 lb of fresh lasagna sheets

If making homemade pasta

1. Tip your flour onto a clean work surface and create a wide well in the middle. Add your eggs to the well and whisk them with a fork to break them up and combine.
2. While whisking the eggs, gradually bring the flour in from the sides of the well until a thick paste forms. Use your hands to knead the remaining flour into a cohesive dough.
3. Once a firm dough has formed, continue to knead it with your hands for 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap (cling film) and set aside to rest.
4. For a detailed, step-by-step tutorial on making pasta, please refer to our homemade pasta dough recipe.

Cook the Squash and Sausage

1. Trim the butternut squash, peel it, and chop it into small-to-medium sized cubes. Set these aside. Finely chop the fresh rosemary and sage, and peel the garlic cloves.
2. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the 2 whole, peeled garlic cloves and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant and lightly golden.
3. Add the cubed butternut squash, chopped herbs, and a good pinch of salt to the pan. Sauté for 5 minutes, then add ⅓ cup (80ml) of water. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down to low, and cook for 20 minutes until the squash is fork-tender (stir halfway through to prevent sticking). Once cooked, turn off the heat and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, heat another pan over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage meat (with skins removed) and brown it, breaking it up into small-to-medium sized crumbs with the side of a wooden spoon. Once thoroughly cooked, turn off the heat and set aside.

To Make the Béchamel and Squash Sauce

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk continuously to form a thick paste (roux). Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes while whisking to remove any raw flour taste.
2. Add half of the milk to the roux and whisk vigorously until there are no lumps. Keep the sauce on medium heat, stirring until it thickens. Gradually add the remaining milk, continuing to whisk until smooth.
3. Season the béchamel with a good pinch of salt, pepper, and fresh grated nutmeg. Whisk every now and then until it reaches your desired thickened consistency. Increase the heat slightly if needed, but ensure it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan.
4. Once thickened, stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese until fully melted and combined. Turn off the heat and set the béchamel aside.
5. Add the cooked butternut squash and garlic from Step 2 to a food processor and blitz until it forms a smooth puree. For an extra creamy consistency, add a few spoons of the béchamel sauce and blitz again until super smooth.
6. Transfer the squash puree to the prepared béchamel sauce and whisk until completely combined, creating a delicious butternut squash béchamel.

Blanch the Pasta

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it generously with salt.
2. If using homemade pasta, divide the dough into quarters and roll each section out into lasagna sheets using your pasta machine (I typically go to number 7 on my Marcato Atlas machine for optimal thickness).
3. Cut the pasta sheets to fit your baking dish. Blanch them in batches in the boiling water for approximately 30 seconds. Quickly transfer them to a clean kitchen towel to drain for a few seconds, preventing them from sticking.
4. Repeat this blanching and draining process for each quarter of pasta. I often begin assembling the lasagna one quarter of pasta at a time to manage space and keep the pasta fresh.

Assemble and Bake

1. Spread a few spoonfuls of the butternut squash béchamel sauce onto the bottom of your baking dish. This prevents the pasta from sticking and adds flavor to the base. Top with a layer of blanched pasta sheets.
2. Spread more butternut squash béchamel sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle with some of the browned Italian sausage, dot generously with pieces of Taleggio cheese, and finish with a small grating of Parmigiano Reggiano.
3. Repeat the layering process until all ingredients are used up. You should achieve approximately 5 layers in total. Ensure the final top layer includes sauce, sausage, Taleggio, and a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano for a golden crust.
4. Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Bake the lasagna uncovered for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling, and the lasagna is piping hot throughout. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. This resting period allows the flavors to meld and the layers to set, making for cleaner slices.

• Making Pasta: When embarking on homemade pasta, I cannot stress enough the importance of using a kitchen scale to accurately weigh your flour. While cup measurements are provided as a guide, the density of flour can vary significantly depending on how tightly it’s packed. Always spoon flour into your measuring cups and level it off with a straight edge for the most accurate results.
• Leftovers and Storage: Leftover butternut squash lasagna is simply divine! It will keep beautifully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm it in the oven until it is piping hot all the way through, ensuring a delicious encore meal.

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