A Better Lasagna

One day while taking a shower I was thinking of what I could possibly make for dinner that night.  I wanted lasagna but I wanted to somehow make it a little more healthy, without adding pieces of vegetables, because I think that is the easiest way to ruin a good lasagna.  There is nothing more disgusting, in my opinion, than chunks of vegetables in a rich creamy lasagna, yuck.  So I decided I would roast a butternut squash and a head of cauliflower with a ton of fresh herbs and then puree the two into some sort of delicious veggie puree that could serve as one of the layers.  So I did this, and it was, in a word, AMAZING.  Best freaking lasagna I have ever had.  I scaled way back on the cheese to let the creaminess of the puree give that rich velvety texture, and oh man was this the best idea I've had in a while!


This recipe does require slaving away in a hot kitchen for about 2 hours, but it is well worth it.  And it feeds at least 6 people, so you can either feed a crowd or have leftovers for days.  And now I give to you, the best damn lasagna you'll ever make.


You'll need:
*One butternut squash
*One head of cauliflower
*Fresh basil
*Fresh thyme or oregano or sage or whatever herbs you like really
*Salt and Pepper
*Olive oil
*Lasagna noodles (not the "no cook" kind, I don't like those)
*1 lb. of ground pork sausage, hot or mild, your preference (you could also use turkey sausage)
*One 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes in puree
*One 6 oz can of tomato paste
*5 oz. of goat cheese


Preheat the oven to 425.
Peel and cube the butternut squash, the smaller the pieces the faster it will roast.  Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray (or olive oil or whatever you like) and arrange all of the squash pieces in a single layer.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on salt, pepper and the finely chopped herbs.  Use a lot of these, you really want to give the squash a great flavor.


Chop up the cauliflower and do the same on another baking sheet (only because they won't both fit on one).  Throw in the oven for about 30 minutes or until fork tender.  

Fill a pot with water and boil for the noodles.  Cook according to the package directions.

In another pan, cook the sausage until brown, then add in the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes.  Stir together and let simmer until you're done making the veggie puree.

When the squash and cauliflower are ready, put them into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  I had to add some white wine and a little of the pasta water to loosen the mixture, you can also use chicken stock.  Set this aside.  PS, this is going to be hot, it's right out of the oven, so use your head.


When everything is cooked and ready to be assembled, grease a 9x13 baking dish then put down a little bit of the tomato sauce, enough to cover the bottom of the dish.


Put down a layer of the noodles, then about half of the puree (or however much you think looks good, you might end up with leftover or you might use it all, it's really your preference).  Spread this evenly over the noodles then add half of the goat cheese, breaking it apart with your fingers and evenly distributing it over the entire lot.  On top of that add half of the tomato sauce, spreading it as evenly as possible.  Add another layer of noodles, the rest of the puree, the rest of the goat cheese, and the rest of the sauce.  Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese over the top and put in the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden on top and bubbly.


Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before diving into.


You will really be surprised at how flavorful this lasagna is.  Every layer is jam packed with rich, creamy flavor, so you can avoid the 30 pounds of cheese you would normally use.  This goes great with a nice simple salad and a chunk of bread.  YUM!  You might want to wear sweatpants to dinner.