Butternut Squash Lasagna with Garlic/Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Sauce

• 3 Tablespoons-Unsalted Butter
• 3 Tablespoons-All Purpose Flour
• 6 Cups-Heavy Cream
• 2 Each-Red Bell Peppers-roasted, skin, stem, seeds removed
• 1 Bulb-Garlic-halved, oiled, seasoned, roasted in foil with a splash of water one hour at 325 degrees
• To Taste-Kosher Salt/Black Pepper

Lasagna

• 1 Each-Butternut Squash-peeled
• 2 Tablespoons-Olive Oil
• ¾ Pound-Italian Sausage-casing removed
• ¼ Cup-White Onion-thin sliced, half moons
• 8 Ounces-Cremini Mushrooms-quartered
• 1 Bunch-Kale-thick stem removed, rough chopped, blanched, cooled
• 12 Ounces-Goat Cheese
• 8 Ounces-Ricotta Cheese
• 8 Ounces-Provolone Cheese-shredded
• To Taste-Kosher Salt/Black Pepper
• ½ Cup-Parmesan Cheese-grated

Directions

1. Squeeze garlic out of skins into a food processor/blender and add the roasted peppers.
2. Pulse until peppers are broke down but slightly chunky.
3. Warm butter over medium heat, add flour and stir to combine.
4. Cook , stirring frequently, until mixture turns a light brown, about 5 minutes.
5. Add cream, stir to combine and add roasted pepper/garlic mixture.
6. Season with salt/pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce starts to thicken.
7. Sauce should coat the back of a spoon and still be loose enough to pour.
8. Set sauce aside to cool slightly.
9. Warm olive oil over medium high heat, add sausage and cook while breaking into small pieces.
10. Add mushrooms, onions and season with salt and pepper.
11. Continue to cook until mushrooms/onions are softened and sausage is cooked through.
12. Stir in cooked kale, remove pan from heat and set aside to cool.
13. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
14. Cut top (non-seed end) off of squash, set aside and half seed side.
15. Scoop out seed and half again, making quarters of the seed end.
16. Using a mandolin (or sharp knife) slice top part of squash into thin rounds and bottom part into long strips.
17. Divide squash into four equal portions.
18. To assemble lasagna, place a little sauce on the bottom of an 8”x8” baking dish.
19. Top with a layer of butternut squash, season with salt/pepper and cover with a thin coat of sauce.
20. Reserve 3 cups of sauce and begin assembling lasagna.
21. In three equal layers add sausage/onion/mushroom/kale mixture, ricotta, goat cheese, provolone and sauce.
22. Top lasagna with remaining squash, one cup of reserved sauce and cover with foil.
23. Place in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until squash is tender.
24. To test insert knife in lasagna to check the tenderness of squash.
25. Remove foil, top with parmesan cheese, place back into oven and cook until cheese is golden.
26. Remove and let lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes.
27. Warm remaining sauce over low heat, cut into squares, place on individual plates, top with warm sauce and serve.