Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds.

• Oil a cookie sheet and the butternut squash halves. Place the squash pieces cut side down on the baking sheet and roast for 30 to 45 minutes or until soft.

• Scoop the flesh from the shell and mash to a smooth consistency. Reserve.

• Heat the milk in a large saucepan until warm.*

• Meanwhile, melt 1 stick of butter in a 3- or 4-quart sauce pan.

• Add the flour and stir until smooth and slightly bubbly.

• Add the warmed milk in 4 additions, stirring each until smooth. Stir until the sauce thickens.

• Stir in the nutmeg.

• Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 13-inch-by-9-inch pan. (If using a glass pan, reduce the oven to 325 degrees.)

• Spoon ¾ cup white sauce into the bottom of the pan to coat, and lay down one sheet of pasta.

• Trim one sheet of pasta into thirds and add to fit the pan.

• Cover with 1/3 of the squash mixture spread in an even layer. Top with ½ cup of the mozzarella, then drizzle with ¾ cup white sauce. Repeat twice, adding all of the white sauce on the top layer.

• Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.

• Remove the foil and add the remaining mozzarella cheese.

• Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan, then return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is brown and bubbly.

• Allow the lasagna to rest out of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut and serve.

* For a more savory lasagna, add 1 small onion that has had the stem and root end cut off and 1 garlic clove to the milk when you heat it. Bring the milk to a hot temperature and then turn off the heat and let the aromatic onion and garlic sit in the milk. Remove when you make the white sauce.