I went to my produce guy's onWednesday and found a large beautiful spaghetti squash. So rather than the usual spaghetti squash with red sauce I made a lasagna using the squash as the noodles. I must say it turned out nice and tasted great!
Ingredients
Large spaghetti squash
For the sauce
Olive oil
Onion diced
2 celery ribs diced
Carrot peeled & diced
Crushed red pepper flakes or 3 dried hot peppers diced
3 cloves garlic peeled and sliced thin
1 can tomatoe sauce
1 can cannelli beans drained & rinsed
8 oz fresh spinach
1 sprig rosemary
2 bay leaves
Fresh basil
For the bachemel
4 tbs butter
4 tbs flour
2 cups milk
Pinch of nutmeg
For the lasagna
8 oz fresh mozzarella diced
1 1/2 c grated parm cheese
2 c ricotta
1 egg
Prepare the sauce
In a large sauce pan heat oil when hot add onions, carrot and celery cooking 5 minutes until soft but not brown. Add red pepper and garlic sauté for 1 minute added tomatoe paste and cook 1 minute more. Add tomatoes sauce, beans, rosemary, bay leaves and hand full of fresh basil. Cook on simmer for 20 minutes until sauce thickens. Add the spinach stir to combine and cover so the spinach wilts. Let cool to room temp.
For the squash
Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place cut side downin a large microwave proof dish with 3 tbs of water. Microwave on high for 20 minutes. Carefully using a fork shred the squash placing the spaghetti in a large bowl.
For the béchamel
Melt butter in a sauce pan add flour and whisk to combine. Cook flour mix approximately five minutes without browning ie whisk often. Mean while heat milk in microwave to hot but not boiling. After flur has cook it should smell nutty, add nutmeg. While whisking add hot milk andcontinue to whisk until sauce thickens. Set aside keeping warm.
Final
Add egg and 1 cup of parm cheese to ricotta and mix well.
In large pan cover bottom with tomato sauce followed by a layer of squash. Cover squash with ricotta then diced mozzella followed by the bechemel sauce and the tomato sauce. Repeat layer. At top cover with mozzella bachemel sauce. Bake at 425* for 40 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
