Cookbook Challenge #6: Yet Another delicious. Lasagna

Hello! I'm still alive! I know I've been a negligent blogger -- I've been preoccupied with choosing a caterer for the wedding, and this distraction has been compounded by the Tivo that Dave got me for my birthday. The altars of new-school Degrassi and Melrose Place have been attracting my worship more than the computer these days. The good news is that a caterer has been chosen and Melrose is in repeats-of-repeats. As such, I'll be brushing the cobwebs off of this here food blog in short order.

I've written about my fave food publication delicious. before, as well as one of my all-time favourite lasagna recipes that came from an issue of this Aussie mag -- it's one of my go-to sources for fresh and inventive recipes. However, the cookbook that I received with my latest subscription has been sitting on my shelf for months. 5 of the best by Valli Little contains recipes from delicious. magazine, sorted by themes of 5 dishes each (such as "5 of the best baked pastas" or "5 of the best savoury tarts") and rounded out with beautiful photography. Since I had such great success with the other delicious. butternut lasagna, the below iteration with rosemary, spinach, and goat cheese seemed like it would be a worthwhile effort. I wasn't wrong -- the tanginess of the chevre complimented the sweet squash and savourly rosemary perfectly. I was also super-impressed with how flavourful this lasagna was with a minimum amount of cheese -- I'm all for guilt-free indulgences, and this dish fits the bill. Give it a try!

Butternut & Goat Cheese Lasagna

1 kg butternut squash, peeled and chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced (leaves only)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 leeks, washed and thinly sliced
300g baby spinach leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400ml good quality tomato passata (sieved tomatoes)
fresh lasagna sheets
150g soft goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the butternut with 2 tbsp olive oil, half the rosemary, and salt & pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a bowl, mash, and set aside.
2. Heat the remaining oil and butter in a medium pan over low heat. Add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the spinach and garlic, and cook for another couple of minutes until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Grease a 23cm X 15cm dish. Spoon 1/4 cup of the tomato passata into the bottom of the dish, season with salt & pepper, and spread evenly. Place a sheet of lasagna on top of the passata, and spread with the mashed butternut. Add another layer of lasagna, then another 1/4 cup of passata, and then the leek-spinach mixture.Finally, add another layer of lasagna and spread it with the remaining passata.
4. In a small bowl, toss together the goat cheese, parmesan, and remaining rosemary. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the lasagna. Cover the dish in foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

serves 6