Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sausage and Taleggio

Method21 steps · about 2 hr 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Choose one pasta route. For homemade pasta, make a wide well in the 300 g pasta flour and add the 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk. Whisk with a fork to break them up. For ready-made fresh sheets, skip steps 1–3 and use the separate 450 g sheet stock at step 16.

   Uses Homemade route only: 300 g pasta flour · Homemade route only: 3 eggs · Homemade route only: 1 egg yolk

2. 2

   Step 2: Homemade pasta only: gradually whisk flour from the sides into the eggs, making a thick paste. Knead the remaining flour into a firm dough.

   Uses Homemade route only: flour-and-egg mixture

3. 3

   Step 3: Homemade pasta only: knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap it and leave it to rest while you prepare the fillings.

   Uses homemade pasta dough

4. 4

   Step 4: Use a 9 × 13 inch baking dish. Prepare the fillings below while the homemade dough rests; continue directly if you chose ready-made sheets.

5. 5

   Step 5: Peel the squash, remove its seeds and stringy centre, and cut the flesh into small to medium cubes. A roughly 1 kg whole squash gives about 700 g trimmed flesh. Finely chop the rosemary (2 sprigs) leaves and sage, and peel the 2 garlic cloves, keeping them whole.

   Uses 1 medium butternut squash, about 1 kg whole (about 700 g after trimming) · 2 sprigs fresh rosemary · 4 fresh sage leaves · 2 garlic cloves, peeled and kept whole

6. 6

   Step 6: Heat 1–2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Add the whole peeled garlic cloves from step 5 and cook gently for a few seconds, until fragrant and starting to turn pale golden.

   Uses 1–2 tbsp olive oil for squash · 2 prepared garlic cloves

7. 7

   Step 7: Add the cubed squash, chopped rosemary and sage, and a good pinch of salt. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the 80 ml squash water, cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, until fork-tender. Stir halfway through so it does not stick, then turn off the heat.

   Covered squash cooking after 5-minute sauté · 20 minUses garlic and olive oil · Prepared squash, rosemary and sage · Good pinch of salt for squash · 80 ml water for cooking squash

8. 8

   Step 8: Meanwhile, heat another pan over medium heat. Add the 700 g sausage meat and brown it, breaking it into small to medium crumbs with a wooden spoon. Cook it through, then turn off the heat and set aside.

   Uses 700 g mild Italian sausages, skins removed

9. 9

   Step 9: Melt the butter (80 g) in a large saucepan. Whisk in only the 80 g béchamel flour to form a thick paste; cook while whisking for 1–2 minutes.

   Uses 80 g unsalted butter · 80 g all-purpose flour for béchamel

10. 10

    Step 10: Gradually whisk the first 500 ml milk into the butter-flour paste until smooth. Stir over medium heat until it thickens, then gradually add the remaining 500 ml milk.

    Uses butter-flour paste · 1 litre milk in two 500 ml additions

11. 11

    Step 11: Add a good pinch each of salt and black pepper and the pinch of nutmeg. Keep whisking occasionally until the sauce thickens. Adjust the heat if needed, taking care that it does not catch on the bottom.

    Uses milk and roux sauce · Good pinch of salt for béchamel · Good pinch of black pepper for béchamel · 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

12. 12

    Step 12: Stir all 70 g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano into the thickened sauce. Turn off the heat and set this béchamel aside; the extra grating cheese is for the layers later.

    Uses thickened béchamel · 70 g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano for béchamel

13. 13

    Step 13: Blend the cooked squash, garlic and herbs in a food processor until puréed. Add a few spoonfuls of the prepared béchamel and blend again until very smooth.

    Uses cooked squash, garlic and herbs · A few spoonfuls of béchamel

14. 14

    Step 14: Whisk the squash purée into the remaining béchamel until combined. Set this squash sauce aside for assembly.

    Uses smooth squash purée · Remaining béchamel after the blending spoonfuls

15. 15

    Step 15: Bring a large pot of pasta-blanching water to a boil and salt it.

    Uses Water for blanching lasagna sheets · Salt for pasta-blanching water, to taste

16. 16

    Step 16: Homemade route: divide the rested dough into quarters and roll each portion through a pasta machine into thin sheets (about setting 7 on a Marcato Atlas). Ready-made route: use the 450 g fresh sheets without rolling dough. Cut your chosen sheets to fit the baking dish.

    Uses Homemade route only: rested dough · Ready-made route only: 450 g fresh sheets

17. 17

    Step 17: Blanch the first batch of 2–3 cut fresh pasta sheets from your chosen route in the boiling salted water for about 30 seconds. Lay this first batch on clean kitchen towels and let it drain briefly.

    Blanch each batch of 2–3 pasta sheets · 1 minUses First 2–3 cut sheets from the chosen pasta route · boiling salted blanching water

18. 18

    Step 18: Blanch and drain the remaining cut sheets in batches of 2–3, for about 30 seconds per batch, in the same boiling salted water. Combine all of these sheets with the first drained batch. If using homemade dough, you can roll, blanch and assemble one quarter at a time to save space.

    Uses First blanched and drained 2–3-sheet batch · Remaining sheets from the chosen pasta route · boiling salted blanching water

19. 19

    Step 19: Spread a little squash sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Add a layer of blanched pasta, more squash sauce, some cooked sausage, pieces of Taleggio and a small grating of the extra Parmigiano Reggiano. Keep the remaining components for the next layers.

    Uses A portion of squash béchamel · Sheets for the first layer · A portion of cooked sausage · Some Taleggio for the first layer · A little extra grated Parmigiano for the first layer

20. 20

    Step 20: Repeat the layers until all the pasta, sauce, cooked sausage and Taleggio have been used, aiming for five layers. Finish with sauce, sausage, Taleggio and extra grated Parmigiano on top.

    Uses started lasagna · Remaining squash béchamel · Remaining blanched sheets · Remaining cooked sausage · Remaining Taleggio after first layer · Extra grated Parmigiano as needed for remaining layers

21. 21

    Step 21: Preheat a fan/convection oven to 200°C (400°F). Bake the lasagna uncovered for 40–45 minutes, until golden on top and piping hot throughout. Rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

    Bake lasagna; rest 5 minutes afterward · 45 minUses assembled squash, sausage and Taleggio lasagna