Butternut Squash Lasagne with Goat Cheese, Sage, and Breadcrumbs

The combination of sweet-and-savory roasted squash, tangy goat cheese, and fresh herbs brings big flavor to this lasagne, while the tender pasta keeps things light.

• 
  
  1 large butternut squash (about 3 lb.), halved lengthwise and seeded 
  
  


• 
  
  2 medium cloves garlic, unpeeled
  
  


• 
  
  2 sprigs fresh thyme plus 2 tsp. chopped leaves  
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  5 Tbs. unsalted butter  
  
  


• 
  
  2 sprigs fresh sage plus 1 tsp. chopped leaves 
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/8 oz. (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour 
  
  


• 
  
  3 cups whole milk 
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/4 cups crumbled fresh goat cheese (4 oz.) 
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (2 oz.) 
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg 
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup coarse dry breadcrumbs or panko 
  
  


• 
  
  1 recipe Fresh Pasta for Lasagne
  
  

Roast the squash and garlic

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.

Put the squash cut side up on a large, heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet. Put 1 garlic clove and 1 sprig of thyme in each cavity. Drizzle each half with 1 tsp. of the oil and then season each with 1/4 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast until the squash is browned in spots and very tender when pierced with a skewer, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. 

Discard the thyme sprigs. Peel the garlic and put in a large bowl. Scoop the squash flesh from the skins and add it to the garlic. Mash with a fork until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Make a goat cheese and sage sauce

Melt 4 Tbs. of the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the sage sprigs and cook until the butter is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Discard the sage. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in the goat cheese, 1/2 cup of the pecorino, the nutmeg, 1 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Set aside 1-1/2 cups of the sauce and mix the rest with the mashed squash. 

Season the breadcrumbs

Melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in a small skillet over medium heat. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, chopped sage, chopped thyme, a pinch of salt, and few grinds of pepper. Add the melted butter and mix well. 

Assemble and bake the lasagne

Spread 1/2 cup of the reserved cheese sauce over the bottom of a 9x13x3-inch baking dish. Cover the sauce with a slightly overlapping layer of cooked noodles, cutting them as needed to fill any gaps. Spread 1 cup of the squash mixture evenly over the noodles. Add another layer of noodles and repeat the layers as instructed above, to make a total of 4 squash layers and 5 pasta layers. Spread the remaining 1 cup cheese sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup pecorino.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil
and bake until the top is browned and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool
for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Butternut Squash Lasagne with Goat Cheese, Sage, and Breadcrumbs

The combination of sweet-and-savory roasted squash, tangy goat cheese, and fresh herbs brings big flavor to this lasagne, while the tender pasta keeps things light.

• 
  
  1 large butternut squash (about 3 lb.), halved lengthwise and seeded 
  
  


• 
  
  2 medium cloves garlic, unpeeled
  
  


• 
  
  2 sprigs fresh thyme plus 2 tsp. chopped leaves  
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  5 Tbs. unsalted butter  
  
  


• 
  
  2 sprigs fresh sage plus 1 tsp. chopped leaves 
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/8 oz. (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour 
  
  


• 
  
  3 cups whole milk 
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/4 cups crumbled fresh goat cheese (4 oz.) 
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (2 oz.) 
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg 
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup coarse dry breadcrumbs or panko 
  
  


• 
  
  1 recipe Fresh Pasta for Lasagne
  
  

Roast the squash and garlic

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.

Put the squash cut side up on a large, heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet. Put 1 garlic clove and 1 sprig of thyme in each cavity. Drizzle each half with 1 tsp. of the oil and then season each with 1/4 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast until the squash is browned in spots and very tender when pierced with a skewer, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. 

Discard the thyme sprigs. Peel the garlic and put in a large bowl. Scoop the squash flesh from the skins and add it to the garlic. Mash with a fork until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Make a goat cheese and sage sauce

Melt 4 Tbs. of the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the sage sprigs and cook until the butter is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Discard the sage. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in the goat cheese, 1/2 cup of the pecorino, the nutmeg, 1 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Set aside 1-1/2 cups of the sauce and mix the rest with the mashed squash. 

Season the breadcrumbs

Melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in a small skillet over medium heat. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, chopped sage, chopped thyme, a pinch of salt, and few grinds of pepper. Add the melted butter and mix well. 

Assemble and bake the lasagne

Spread 1/2 cup of the reserved cheese sauce over the bottom of a 9x13x3-inch baking dish. Cover the sauce with a slightly overlapping layer of cooked noodles, cutting them as needed to fill any gaps. Spread 1 cup of the squash mixture evenly over the noodles. Add another layer of noodles and repeat the layers as instructed above, to make a total of 4 squash layers and 5 pasta layers. Spread the remaining 1 cup cheese sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup pecorino.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil
and bake until the top is browned and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool
for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Beef, Barley, and Butternut Squash Stew with Blue Cheese Croutons

Cool nights call for a warming, satisfying stew. Top this one with the salty blue cheese and walnut croutons, breaking them up into the stew as you eat.

• 
  
  1-3/4 lb. boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  5 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  4-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter (1-1/2 Tbs. softened)
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  
  


• 
  
  2 large leeks (white and light-green parts only), halved and thinly sliced
  
  


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  2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
  
  


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  2 medium ribs celery, chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
  
  


• 
  
  6 cups lower-salt chicken broth
  
  


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  2/3 cup pearl barley
  
  


• 
  
  3 dried bay leaves
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh sage
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  
  


• 
  
  1 small butternut squash (about 1-1/2 lb.), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3-1/3 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup half-and-half
  
  


• 
  
  3 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. finely chopped walnuts
  
  


• 
  
  18 (1/2-inch-thick) baguette slices
  
  

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.


Season the beef with 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper and then toss in a large bowl with 2 Tbs. of the flour. Heat 1 Tbs. of the butter and the oil in a 5-1/2- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook half of the beef until browned on several sides, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate. Repeat with the remaining beef.


Melt 2 Tbs. of the butter in the pot. Add the leeks, carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, until evaporated, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the remaining 3 Tbs. flour and cook for 1 minute.


Whisk in 5 cups of the broth. Stir in the barley, bay leaves, sage, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt, and the beef along with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot snugly with foil and then a tight-fitting lid and braise in the oven until the beef is almost tender, about 1 hour. Stir in the squash and the remaining 1 cup broth. Cover with the foil and lid and continue braising until the beef and squash are very tender, about 30 minutes more. Remove and discard the bay leaves from the stew, and then stir in the parsley and half-and-half. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep hot.


In a small bowl, combine the softened 1-1/2 Tbs. butter with the blue cheese, walnuts, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Spread the mixture evenly onto the baguette slices. Transfer to a baking sheet.


Position a rack about 8 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high. Broil the croutons until deep golden-brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the stew with the croutons.