Roasted Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin Lasagna

Before making this I was about 99% sure we didn't like sweet potatoes or squash...neither of us.  Why did I attempt this dish you may ask?  Because How Sweet made it sound so amazing that I had to give it one more shot!  I was soo wrong before, this lasagna was amazing!  And I was glad I had leftover squash and sweet potato to use for something else.  I added pumpkin, roasted garlic, caramelized onions, & a bit of goat cheese.  This was the yummiest, warmest, richest lasagna I've ever had.  Perfect for fall!

Roasted Butternut, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin Lasagna
makes one 8×8 dish
6-9 whole wheat lasagna noodle sheets, cooked until al-dente
1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 cups cubed)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed (about 1 cup cubed)
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
12 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature (I used 8 oz mascarpone & 4 oz ricotta, bc that was the size of the mascarpone container I found)
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
sprinkle of sugar
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 head of garlic
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
4 oz goat cheese (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of crushed red pepper
a bunch of sage leaves
olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay cubed squash and potatoes on a baking sheet, and drizzle with a bit of olive oil (only about 1-2 teaspoons). Use your hands to coat the squash and potatoes with olive oil, then sprinkle with nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Cut off the top of garlic & drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper.  Wrap in aluminum foil.

Roast squash, potatoes, & garlic for 50 minutes, tossing squash & potatoes every 15 minutes or so.  Remove from oven and let cool. 

Add butter & onions to a saute pan and sprinkle with sugar.  Allow them to caramelize over low heat.

Make sure you've cooked your pasta until al-dente (slightly cooked through, but not all the way or they will get mushy).

Once squash & potatoes are cool, add them to a bowl with pumpkin.  Squeeze garlic cloves out into the bowl.  Either mash with a fork or use a hand mixer with beaters to “whip” them. (The consistency is up to you. Just make sure it is spreadable.)

In a bowl, combine mascarpone (& ricotta if using), goat cheese, 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, & remaining salt and pepper. Mix until somewhat smooth and spreadable.

Spray an 8×8 pan with non-stick spray, then lay 2-3 noodles down. Spread half of the squash mixture evenly over top, then spread/crumble half of the mascarpone on top of that. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and remaining parmesan on next, then repeat with one more set of noodles, squash, mascarpone, caramelized onions, and cheese.

Top the dish over with a bunch of sage leaves that will crisp up in the oven (I wish I had used more!  It was the perfect combination). Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until cheese on top is golden and bubbly. This dish was an awesome entree, and then we had small servings of it as a side dish a couple nights later that week...yum!