Butternut squash lasagna pie

October 22, 2022October 22, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi.
This would be super as a Holiday main course for vegetarians.

“This comforting dish lands somewhere between a lasagna and a pie. Thinly sliced butternut squash and broken dried lasagna noodles are all tossed together in one bowl with cheese, spices and a red pepper sauce, then pressed into a cake pan before baking, at which point everything softens and cooks together into imperfectly perfect layers. A simple béchamel topping is made while your pie is in the oven, leaving you ample time to get on with assembling a big salad or a side dish of your choosing.”

Serves 6

For the Pie
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp cumin seeds, roughly crushed in a mortar and pestle
1 tbsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed in a mortar and pestle
2 tsp Aleppo chile flakes
1 (12-oz) jar red peppers, drained
1 tsp light brown sugar
Fine sea salt and black pepper
1 small butternut squash (about 1 ¾ lbs), peeled, halved, deseeded and cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices
8 oz dried lasagna noodles, each roughly broken into 3 or 4 pieces
7 oz baby spinach (10 lightly packed cups)
1 packed cup basil leaves, torn in halves
1 cup crumbled Greek feta
Heaping ½ cup finely grated Parmesan

For the Béchamel
3 tbsp unsalted butter
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1½ cups whole milk, plus more if needed
2 garlic cloves, minced
Fine sea salt
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan

Step 1
Make the pie: Heat the oven to 400F degrees.
Grease a 9-inch springform cake pan then line it with a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the base and hang over the sides by a couple inches; set aside.

Step 2
Add the oil to a small frying pan and heat over medium-high. Once it’s hot, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring until fragrant but not browned. Add the tomato paste, cumin, coriander and chile flakes and cook for 1 minute more, stirring often, until deeply red. Set aside to cool slightly, then add to a small food processor with the red peppers, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper; blitz until smooth.

Step 3
Empty the mixture into a very large bowl and add the squash, lasagna sheets, spinach, basil, feta, Parmesan, 1¼ teaspoons salt and a good grind of pepper. Use your hands to make sure everything is nicely coated. Transfer this mixture to your lined cake pan, adding a third at a time and pressing lightly to ensure everything is even and compact. Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap the cake pan all around until tightly sealed, place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.

Step 4
Toward the last 15 minutes of baking time, make the béchamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking steadily, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it starts to smell like popcorn. Slowly pour in the milk ½ cup at a time, whisking with each addition until fully incorporated. Turn the heat down to medium then add the garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt. Use a spatula to stir and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to ensure the bottom doesn’t scorch, until nice and smooth. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan. If the pie isn’t done, cover the top with a piece of parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming. The béchamel is easier to handle when warm; if needed, reheat gently with a splash of milk to loosen.

Step 5
After the pie has cooked for 1 hour, remove it from the oven and carefully unwrap the top foil and paper, crinkling it down and around the sides of the pan to expose the top. Spoon the béchamel on top, using a spatula to distribute it evenly over the surface. (Take care not to mix it with the base; you want the béchamel to remain white.)

Step 6
Turn the oven temperature up to 450 degrees, place the cake pan back on its baking sheet and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through, until nicely browned on top. Set aside to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Step 7
Carefully release the pie from the springform pan, loosening the outer ring then using the parchment to help lift it onto a serving plate or board. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Butternut squash and eggplant caponata with burrata

February 14, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda

Diana Henry’s autumnal dish of chunky butternut squash and fried eggplant with capers and green olives, served with creamy burrata.

Serves 4 as a light lunch or 6 as a starter

1 large eggplant
400g butternut squash, peeled and deseeded
100ml olive oil
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Pinch of dried chili flakes
400g tin cherry tomatoes in thick juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
30g capers
50g green olives, pitted and halved
3 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
4 tbsp chopped parsley
250g burrata or mozzarella
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Cut the eggplant and squash into 2.5cm(1″) cubes. Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based sauté pan. Fry the vegetables in batches until golden-brown, about four minutes. Transfer them to a bowl. Add more oil and sauté the celery and onion to pale gold then add the garlic and chili and cook for two minutes.

Add the tomatoes and vinegar, stir and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 10 minutes.

Add the fried vegetables, capers, olives and sugar to the pan and season. Add 50ml of water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the squash is soft and the mixture thick. Remove from the heat and bring to room temperature. Add the lemon juice and parsley and season.

Serve topped with a chunk of mozzarella or burrata. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Egg based · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Caramelized Onion and Butternut Squash Tart

October 25, 2021October 25, 2021 Belinda

This decadent tart is packed with caramelized onions, roasted butternut squash, Gruyère and crème fraîche. It makes an excellent vegetarian main or a rich, savory side. recipe by Vanessa Larson

1 recipe pastry dough (see below)
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large yellow onions, halved and sliced
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large eggs
8 oz crème fraîche
4 oz Gruyère, grated
2 oz Parmesan, grated
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs thyme

Pastry Dough
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter
4 tbsp ice water

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, thyme sprigs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring to mix. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until dark golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove thyme stems.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450° F.
Toss butternut squash with olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and spread out on baking sheet. Bake until browned and very soft, stirring once, about 40 minutes.
Reduce oven heat to 350° F.
Roll dough out until thin and press into a well-greased 10-inch tart pan. Prick all over with a fork and bake in oven 10 minutes.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, crème fraîche, gruyère, Parmesan, and black pepper.
Spread caramelized onions in bottom of tart and top with butternut squash. Pour gruyère mixture over the squash, making sure to spread it evenly throughout the tart.
Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Pastry Dough

Cut butter into 1-tablespoon pieces and freeze for 10 minutes.
Mix flour and salt in food processor or large bowl.
If using food processor, add butter and mix until mixture resembles small pea-sized balls. If mixing by hand, work quickly, mixing the butter in with your hands until it forms small pea-sized balls.
Add in ice water and mix just until dough forms and comes together. Form into disk, wrap in plastic, and place in fridge for 20 minutes.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related · Whole30 compliant
Roasted butternut squash and red onion with tahini, pine nuts and za’atar

February 13, 2021February 13, 2021 Belinda

I made this recipe tonight, adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe and it’s absolutely wonderful with such interesting flavors. Well worth trying!

Serves 4-6

1 large butternut squash (around 2lbs worth), cut into 1/2″ by 3″ wedges
2 red onions, cut into eighths or 1/2″ wedges
6 tbsp plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3.5 tbsp tahini, or more as needed
3 tbsp water, or more as needed
1.5 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 large clove garlic, minced
2oz raw pine nuts
1 tbsp za’atar
3 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Warm a serving platter.
Position a baking rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the squash and onion and 6 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 tbsp Kosher salt, 6 good twists of the pepper grinder, and toss to combine.
Spread the vegetables out on a large, rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 35-40 minutes, or until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through with a little char. (Keep an eye on the onion: If it starts to burn before the squash is cooked, you may need to remove it before the squash.

Remove from the oven.

While the vegetables are roasting, in a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt until the sauce is the consistency of honey. You might need to add more water or tahini, depending on the consistency.

In a small skillet over medium-low heat, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil until shimmering. Add the pine nuts and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring often until the nuts are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small plate to cool. Keep the oil too

To serve, spread the vegetables out on the warmed serving platter and drizzle with the tahini sauce. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, and garnish with the za’atar and parsley. Sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt and serve.

Pasta · Vegetarian pasta
Spicy Butternut Squash Pasta With Spinach

December 12, 2020December 12, 2020 Belinda

Here’s a vegetable-filled pasta bake that comes together in under an hour. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is prepping the squash. You can buy precut squash, or cut it yourself.
If you’re sensitive to heat, leave out the jalapeños, or remove the seeds before slicing into rounds and placing on top.
Recipe by Yasmin Fahr

Serves 4

Kosher salt
3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeds removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
1 tbsp ground cumin (see Tip)
½ tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed
1 lb penne or other tubular pasta
1 cup vegetable broth
¾ cup grated Parmesan
3 packed cups baby spinach
1 (8-oz) ball fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size chunks
1 jalapeño, sliced into rounds
⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley and tender stems, roughly chopped

Bring a large covered pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet with high sides and a tight-fitting lid (or a Dutch oven), heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the squash and season with salt, cumin and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring every minute, until squash becomes browned in spots and feels just tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, until not quite al dente, 3 to 4 minutes less than the package instructions. (It should be a little too firm to the bite.) Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain. If the pasta is done before the squash, then stir in a drizzle of olive oil so that it doesn’t stick together.

When the squash is just tender, add the broth. Bring to an active simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is soft and easily mash-able, 10 to 12 minutes.
Turn off the heat, then use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to crush about half of the butternut squash and leave the rest chunky. Season the squash to taste, keeping in mind that salty Parmesan will be added soon.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with 1 cup reserved pasta water and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, stirring vigorously to combine. Stir in the spinach one handful at a time until it shrinks down a little.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, the mozzarella and jalapeño, then place in the oven, on a sheet pan if you are worried about dripping.

Cook until the top is melted and browned in spots, 12 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil, top with parsley and serve.

Tip
If you have a preferred curry powder, then you can use 1 to 3 teaspoons of that (according to taste) in place of the cumin and red-pepper flakes.

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related
Butternut squash, mustard and Gruyere gratin

December 23, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

I love anything that has cream, cheese and vegetables in it and you might want to think about changing up your Christmas/Thanksgiving meal by adding this to the repertoire.I highly recommend it.

A small knob of butter (1 tbsp)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 or 3 garlic cloves, peeled and squashed
10 decent sized-sage leaves
10 fl oz pot double cream
6 fl oz whole milk (or use cream instead for an extra luxurious dish)
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, quartered and thinly sliced (about 2lb 2oz prepared weight)
1/4 tsp hand grated nutmeg
8 oz Gruyère, grated

Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook slowly over a low-medium heat, stirring every now and then, for 10-15 mins until golden and soft.

Meanwhile, put the garlic and half the sage in a saucepan, add the cream and milk, and heat gently, not allowing the mixture to boil, for 5 mins. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 10 mins, then fish out the sage and garlic. Stir in the mustard and season well.

If cooking straight away, heat oven to 350 F.
Layer the squash slices, (sprinkling a little grated nutmeg on each layer)the onions, most of the cheese and the infused cream into a large baking dish, finishing with a layer of cream. Once you’ve used the ingredients up, scatter with the remaining cheese and put the remaining sage leaves on top. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 mins.

Uncover the dish and increase the heat to 400 F. Cook for a further 20-30 mins until golden brown and tender all the way through. Leave to cool for 10 mins before serving.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related
Butternut squash with orange oil, burnt honey, pecorino and pumpkin seeds

December 11, 2019December 11, 2019 Belinda

Another beauty from Yotam Ottolenghi
“I love the autumnal combination of squash, orange and hard herbs, and this take on the theme is especially fresh. Blitzing orange zest into olive oil is a quick way to infuse it without having to heat it up or wait very long. The oil is also lovely on salads, roast veg or fruit and yoghurt, so make double if you want and keep in a sealed jar.”

Prep 15 min
Infuse 20-60 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 4 as a starter or side

1 butternut squash, peeled, cut in half lengthways, deseeded and cut into 1cm-thick half-moons (900g net weight)
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and black pepper
1½ tbsp runny honey
1½ tsp cider vinegar
2 oz (40g) pecorino, cut into ¼cm-thick shards
1½ tbsp oregano leaves, picked with some stem attached
1oz (20g) pumpkin seeds, toasted

For the orange-infused oil
2 oranges
45ml olive oil

Heat the oven to its highest setting.
For the oil, finely shave strips of zest off the oranges, avoiding any pith, until you have 1/2 oz (15g), then roughly chop.
Put this in the small bowl of a food processor, add the oil and blitz for a minute, until the peel is finely chopped. Pour into a bowl, leave to infuse for 20 minutes to an hour, then strain through a fine sieve and discard the solids.

Peel and segment the oranges over a sieve placed over a bowl, to catch the juice, then set aside the segments and a tablespoon of juice for the dressing.

Put the squash, oil, nutmeg, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper in a large bowl, and toss to coat. Divide between two oven trays lined with baking paper – make sure the squash does not overlap – then bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway, until cooked through and nicely browned. Leave to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, put the honey in a small frying pan on a medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, leave to bubble for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns a deep brown caramel, then take off the heat and stir in the orange segments, the reserved tablespoon of juice and the vinegar, and set aside to cool a little.

Arrange the squash and pecorino on a platter, overlapping the squash slightly, pour over the burnt honey dressing, and scatter over the oregano and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle over the infused oil, and serve.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Whole30 compliant
Butternut “squashed”

December 11, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Fabulous recipe from Jamie Oliver
“This is the easiest method for cooking squash. All the flavor is added at the last minute when you smash it in. Don’t panic if you’re tight for hob or oven space and the squash isn’t piping hot by the time you serve – it’s just as good warm. ”

2 butternut squash
2oz (50g) pine nuts
a few sprigs of fresh sage
extra virgin olive oil
½ fresh red chili
7oz (200g) vacuum-packed chestnuts
½ tsp ground cinnamon
balsamic vinegar, optional

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/350F/gas 4.
Wash and dry the whole squash, then place on a baking tray. Pierce once or twice with the tip of a sharp knife, then bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until golden and very soft.
Scatter the pine nuts on a baking tray and toast them in the oven at the same time – they will only need a couple of minutes to turn golden, so make sure you keep an eye on them to prevent them burning.
Add a lug of oil to a frying pan, then pick in the sage leaves and fry until crisp. Remove to piece of kitchen paper to drain, reserving the oil.
Lay the cooked squash on a board, remove the stalks and, using a knife and tongs, carefully slice the squash lengthways, down the middle. Scoop out and discard the seeds.
Finely chop the chili and crumble the chestnuts, then sprinkle over the squash halves with the cinnamon and a good pinch of black pepper. Really mash and chop all the lovely toppings into the squash with your knife, so all the flavors go right through.
Serve the squash halves topped with the crisp sage, the toasted pine nuts, a drizzle of the reserved sage oil and a little balsamic vinegar (if using).

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