Butternut Squash Lasagna

• 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 Ÿ 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 œ cup of the mozzarella, then drizzle with Ÿ 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.

This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2010.