Spinach and Butternut Squash Lasagna

A rich and tasty vegetarian lasagna.

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash

1-2 tbs olive oil

8 oz ricotta

1 cup milk

freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed

8 oz mascarpone cheese

¼ tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg

2 handfuls fresh basil leaves, torn

8 oz pack lasagna sheets

2 cups grated mozzarella

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tbs freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
2. Halve the squash lengthways (skin left on), remove the seeds and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tbs of the olive oil and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until just tender. Remove and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pan, gently fry the garlic in the remaining olive oil for I minute then tip in the washed spinach and stir for a minute or two until just wilted. Tip into a bowl and season with salt and pepper, then add the mascarpone, nutmeg and basil and mix well.
4. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, cut off the skin. Thinly slice the hollowed out end and roughly chop the rest. Place the chopped squash into a food processor with the ricotta and milk and blend to a puree then pour into a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Add 100ml boiling water if required to make a spoonable sauce.
5. Fill a large bowl with boiling water and have some tongs ready.
6. Place the large rectangular dish onto a baking tray. Spoon about a third of the squash mixture into the bottom of the dish and arrange half of the sliced squash on top, then a small handful of mozzarella.
7. Dip 2 sheets of lasagna into the hot water and leave for one minute then remove with the tongs and place 1½ sheets on top of the squash filling. Top with half of the spinach filling and a handful of mozzarella. Repeat using one and a half sheets of lasagna for each layer then finish with a layer of squash filling.
8. Scatter over the tomatoes, the rest of the mozzarella and the parmesan cheese and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until golden and bubbling around the edges. Serve with your favorite salad and some Italian bread.