Lockdown Recipe of the Day: Caramelised butternut & carrot lasagne

Start with the carrots and butternut:

6 large carrots, peeled, topped and cut into 4 long strips each, lengthwise

3 Tbsp olive oil (for the carrots)

Salt and pepper

2 star anise

3 Tbsp olive oil (for the butternut)

1 large butternut, peeled and cut into 1 cm rounds

3 garlic cloves, chopped

Needles of 4 rosemary sprigs, very finely chopped

Method

Oil a very large oven pan or two smaller ones, i.e. enough to hold all the butternut slices and carrots when laid out. Lay out the carrot strips. Season with salt and pepper and add the star anise in between the carrots.

Lay out the butternut rounds, dunking both sides in olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with garlic and rosemary needles, salt and pepper. Bake in a 200℃ oven for about 45 minutes but check to make sure they don’t burn. Once they’re tender, remove from the oven.

The tomato sauce

2 cans chopped tomatoes

1 tsp sugar

4 sprigs oregano

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 glass dry white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Simmer the onions and garlic in olive oil for about 15 minutes until lightly caramelised. Add the wine and reduce to a syrup. Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar and oregano, season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes. 

The béchamel/cheese sauce

500 ml full cream milk

4 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp butter (not margarine)

1 bay leaf (dried or fresh)

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of ground nutmeg or a grating of whole nutmeg

200 g grated Cheddar cheese

Parmesan, grated

Stir grated Cheddar into the béchamel to turn it into a cheese sauce. Season.

Method

Pour the cold milk into a deep saucepan, adding the bay leaf and pinch of nutmeg. Bring the milk just to the boil, then remove it from the heat. Discard the bay leaf.

Melt the butter in a second saucepan. Vigorously stir in the flour with a wooden spoon or whisk, to make a smooth roux. There must be no lumps. Add half the hot milk and stir until thickened; add the remainder and repeat.

Assemble

6 durum wheat lasagne sheets

3 Tbsp olive oil

Grease a deep oven dish. Lay the cooked carrot slivers at the bottom. Spoon half of the tomato sauce over, then add three sheets of lasagne side by side. Add a layer of butternut. Top with three more lasagne sheets and the rest of the tomato sauce. Finish with a layer of the cheese sauce and grated Parmesan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes in a 190℃ oven. DM168/TGIFood

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