Butternut & Kale Lasagna

Butternut squash and kale are two of my favorite things in the winter.    I feel like I've been combining them everywhere, so don't be surprised if you see them again soon :)

I prepared the butternut squash puree and kale ahead of time, then made the pasta the day of.  If you're using homemade noodles, be sure not to roll them out too thin.   I did, and they disappeared into the lasagna.  Wasn't the end of the world, but I would've liked them a little thicker to hold up a bit more :)

Butternut & Kale Lasagna
Recipe by Shannon
Yield:  9"sq pan

2-3c roasted, pureed butternut squash*
~1T extra virgin olive oil
1 head kale, washed and destemmed, then roughly chopped
1 lg garlic clove, minced/pressed
1/2 onion, diced
1 batch homemade egg pasta, or other lasagna noodles  (check here for my recipe, I did a batch to serve 2)
1T butter
2T white whole wheat flour
1/4c porcini mushroom broth (reserved from the last time I reconstituted mushrooms, but you can use more milk)
1 1/2c milk
4oz goat cheese
1/2t salt
1/8t pepper
1/4t freshly grated nutmeg

The kale for the lasagna can be prepared a day or two ahead of time.   Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Add onion and kale, cover and cook for ~5min.  Remove cover and stir, continue to cook for another 5min or so until kale has wilted and onions softened.  Add garlic, stir and cook a few minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Refrigerate until preparing the lasagna.

To make the goat cheese sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk, cooking for 1-2min.  Whisk in broth and milk and cook 5-10min, until it starts to thicken.  Remove from heat and crumble in goat cheese.  Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk until goat cheese melts into sauce.  Keep over very low heat so it doesn't thicken as you assemble the lasagna.

Start assembling the lasagna by pouring enough sauce to cover the bottom of a 9" sq pan.  Add a little sauce on the bottom of the pan and then start layering!  Two sheets of pasta to cover the bottom of the dish, spread around ~1/4c squash, a sprinkling of kale and a spoonful of sauce.  Repeat until you've used all of your ingredients (or you've filled your pan!).  Top last layer with noodles and the rest of the goat cheese sauce.

Bake in a preheated 375deg oven for ~25min, until cooked through and bubbly.  Let cool 10-15min before serving to allow lasagna to set up.

*Roasted at 350deg for 1-1 1/2 hrs, flesh scooped out and pureed in a blender or food processor.