Squash & blue cheese lasagne

Serves

6 People

Cooking Time

90 minutes

Season

Autumn

Winter

Dietary

Vegetarian

This is a brilliantly warming and moreish autumnal recipe with sweet and nutty squash, leeks and cavolo nero, layered with lasagne and blue cheese.

Ingredients

2 Whole Squash such as Uchiki Kuri or Blue Kuri (Around 1.5-2kg)
4 Cloves Garlic (Skin on)
1 tbsp Chilli Flakes
Sage
Olive Oil
Nutmeg
1 Medium Sized Leek (Finely sliced)
1 Bunch of Cavolo Nero (250g) (Roughly chopped)
125g Organic Blue Cheese (Such as Stilton)

For the béchamel sauce
50g Butter
50g Plain Flour
450ml Milk
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
75g Parmesan/Grana Padano

Pumpkin Seeds
9 Lasagne Pasta Sheets
Salt and Pepper

Method

Step 1.

Preheat your oven 200c. Firstly cut your squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place on a baking tray. Drizzle each piece of squash with some olive oil, sprinkle with chilli flakes and a pinch of salt. Then place a clove of garlic and some sage in the middle of each then grate over a little nutmeg. Place in the oven for around 30-45 mins until soft. Leave to cool. Scoop out the flesh into a bowl, then squeeze the roasted garlic in and mash with a fork until fairly smooth.

Step 2.

Meanwhile in a pan, with a little olive oil, sweat off your leeks until soft then add the Cavolo Nero and wilt until cooked. Season then set aside. Make your béchamel by melting the butter in a pan, add your flour. Let this cook for a couple of mins till it smells nutty then gradually add your milk, whisking all the time. Let this cook for around 5 mins until it is smooth. Take off the heat and grate in 50g of parmesan, add the dijon mustard, mix well and season to taste. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and blanch your pasta sheets for around 3-4 mins and drain. Now it’s time to assemble!

Step 3.

Spread some of the squash on the bottom, crumble on some blue cheese then add some of the leek and cavolo nero and a little béchamel. Then add your pasta sheets. Keep alternating until you have used all the fillings finishing with a layer of pasta then béchamel on the top. Sprinkle over some pumpkin seeds, grate the remainder of the parmesan and drizzle a little olive oil top. Bake for around 45mins until the pasta is soft all the way through. Enjoy!