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Recipe

Butternut squash lasagne with sage tofu ricotta

This vegetarian take on lasagne from Amy Chaplin's book, 'At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen" is inspired by butternut squash ravioli. The squash and tofu ricotta is velvety smooth with a layer of succulent caramelized onions and folds of nutty, wholewheat lasagne sheets to give it structure.

Jul 23, 2015 4:56am
  • 1 hr 5 mins preparation
  • 2 hrs 20 mins cooking
  • Serves 8
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Ingredients

Squash puree
  • 2 butternut squash (2.7 kg)
  • extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
Caramelised onions
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 onions, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
Tofu ricotta
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling dish
  • 10 clove garlic, cut into 6mm slices
  • 2 x 425g blocks firm tofu, drained, rinsed and patted dry
  • 5 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup (15g) chopped sage, plus 8 whole leaves to garnish
  • 1 packet no-boil wholewheat lasagne sheets

Method

Squash puree
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 200ºC/gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. C
  • 2
    Cut neck off butternut squash and cut neck and bottom in half lengthways. Rub squash with olive oil and place cut-side down on parchment-lined tray.
  • 3
    Roast 50 minutes, or until you can pierce the flesh easily with a knife. Remove from oven and set aside to cool while you cook the onions.
  • 4
    Once squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out seeds with a spoon and peel off skin. Add squash to food processor with 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt and a pinch of black pepper. Blend until completely smooth; place in a bowl and set aside. Rinse out food processor.
Caramelised onions
  • 5
    Warm oil in a large frying pan over medium heat; add onions. Sauté for 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Add salt, lower heat slightly and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes, or until onions are soft and caramelized.
  • 6
    Remove from heat and set half the onions aside for layering in the lasagne. Place remaining onions in a food processor.
Tofu ricotta
  • 7
    Warm olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add garlic, reduce heat a little and simmer until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • 8
    Crumble tofu into food processor with onions and add brown rice vinegar, ume plum vinegar, sea salt, a pinch of black pepper and garlic-oil mixture. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.
  • 9
    Add chopped sage and process until incorporated. Place in a bowl and set aside 1/2 cup of ricotta mixture for garnishing top of lasagne.
To assemble
  • 10
    Preheat oven to 190ºC/gas 5. Brush lasagne dish with olive oil.
  • 11
    Spread 3/4 cup squash puree over bottom of dish and top with a single layer of lasagne sheets. Spread 1 1/2 cups squash puree over lasagne, then top with half of the tofu ricotta. Repeat with another layer of lasagne and another 1 1/2 cups of puree.
  • 12
    Spread caramelised onions over squash and top with a final layer of lasagne. Cover with remaining tofu ricotta and top with remaining squash puree.
  • 13
    Spoon 8 dots of reserved tofu ricotta evenly over top, press a sage leaf into each one and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
  • 14
    Cover with baking parchment and then with foil; bake for 50 minutes or until pasta is tender and lasagne is heated through. Remove from oven and allow to sit at least 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm.

Notes

To test lasagne is done, insert a knife into centre; you shouldn’t feel any resistance. If pasta is still firm, continue cooking covered for another 5-10 minutes. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes more or until top layer of squash looks set. Store any leftover lasagne in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat covered in the oven until heated through. Recipes and images from At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen (Murdoch Books) $39.99 available now.

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