Winter Vegetable Lasagna

Deliciously hearty and packed with nutrients, these whole wheat lasagna noodles using our organic Sonora WW flour are layered between roasted winter vegetables, lemony ricotta, and a cheese and herbs cream sauce. Great for meal prep or stocking the freezer this winter! 

Download a printable version of the recipe here.

Winter Vegetable Lasagna

Made with 100% whole wheat pasta

Yield: 15-18 servings (one XL casserole dish)

Ingredients:

Pasta:

360g (3 cups) BSM Sonora whole wheat flour

10 large egg yolks (room temp)

6 T water (room temp)

5g (1 tsp) fine sea salt

Bench flour: equal parts BSM AP flour & semolina flour (Bob’s Red Mill)

Sauce:

2 cups onion (small diced)

6 cloves garlic (minced)

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup BSM AP standard flour

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup vegetable stock

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

2 T lemon juice

2 ½ tsp fine sea salt

1 T rosemary (fresh-minced)

1 T thyme (fresh-minced)

1 T oregano (fresh-minced)

½ cup parmesan (grated)

Vegetables:

1 whole acorn squash (quartered, roasted)

4 cups butternut squash (diced, roasted)

3 large zucchinis (thinly sliced, roasted)

Ricotta filling:

1lb 12oz whole milk ricotta (one large container)

roasted acorn squash (shredded)

lemon zest (2 large lemons)

lemon juice (2 large lemons)

2 ½ tsp fine sea salt

Black pepper to taste

Garnish/Assembly:

3 cups mozzarella (shredded and fresh used here)

2 cups parmesan (shredded)

Method:

 Pasta:

Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour bowl or reverse the flour mixture onto work surface and follow the same process. Add the water and yolks to the well while making sure it stays within the well. Using a fork, begin to whisk the eggs gently in the center of the well while simultaneously adding in a little flour at a time. Continue this process and blend the mixture until the flour is saturated with the wet ingredients. The dough will be sticky at this point. Using your hand and a bench knife, begin to work the dough by kneading and scraping any sticking bits. As the dough is kneaded over time, it will become less sticky and more elastic. Knead the dough until a smooth, elastic dough ball for about 10 min. Cover the dough ball and allow to rest for 30 min.

Create a “bench flour” by combining ½ cup BSM AP standard flour and ½ cup of semolina flour to use for working with the dough as it gets rolled out.

Cut the dough in half, as it is easier to work with in smaller portions. Dust a work surface with the bench flour and roll the pasta dough out with a rolling pin, rotating the dough, until it reaches about 28 inches long by 9 inches wide or until it is 1/8-inch thickness. Dust the pasta and work surface lightly as you go to prevent sticking. Cut individual 2 ½ x 9-inch-long strips.  Place parchment paper on a sheet pan and dust lightly with the bench flour. Place the strips of pasta dough onto the parchment-lined sheet pan. Layer with parchment paper and more bench flour as you continue to place strips onto the sheet pan. Wrap the sheet pan of pasta in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to three days before using. You may also freeze the fresh pasta at this point for up to 2 months. Be sure the pasta is wrapped well to prevent crystals from forming on it in the freezer.

Fillings:

Preheat an oven to 375°F.

Quarter the acorn squash and remove the seeds. Lightly drizzle the acorn squash tops with olive oil. Roast the squash for 45-50 min or until a fork can easily pierce the tops. Allow to cool first before removing from the skins and shredding.

Toss the butternut squash in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 375°F for 20-25 min. Allow to cool.

 Thinly slice the zucchini, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Roast at 375°F for 20 min. Allow to cool.

Combine the shredded acorn squash with the ricotta, lemon juice, zest, and seasonings. Chill until ready to use.

Sauce:

Sauté the diced onion and minced garlic in a little olive oil on medium heat until translucent. Add the additional 1/3 cup of olive oil and flour. Stir and cook the roux for 4 min. Add the dry white wine and stir for a min. Reduce the heat to low-medium. Stir in the vegetable stock, whole milk, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Add the fresh herbs, cover and let the sauce steep for 30-35 min, making sure to stir occasionally and reduce the heat when needed. Season with salt and add the parmesan.

Assembly:

 Season a full pot of water generously with salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta for 3-4 min in batches of 5-6 strips. Ladle the cooked pasta into a bowl and drizzle lightly with olive oil to prevent from sticking. Allow to cool slightly before using to assemble the lasagna.

**Note: Fresh pasta takes much less time to cook.

Spoon about 3/4 cup of sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish. Line the dish with 5 or so cooked pasta strips. Spread ¾ cup of the ricotta filling evenly over the noodles followed by layering with ¾ cup or so of butternut squash and enough strips of zucchini to cover the layer. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella. Continue this same layering process of pasta, sauce, ricotta filling, veggies, and mozzarella until you come to just below the top of the casserole dish. End with a layer of pasta, and spoon the last of the sauce on top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the parmesan on top.

 Bake the lasagna at 375°F for 35-40 min covered with foil. Remove the cover and continue to cook for an additional 5-7 min or until the cheese is slightly golden. Allow to slightly cool before serving.

 **Tip: The whole lasagna can be wrapped and frozen before baking after assembly. Be sure to properly wrap and refrigerate the lasagna first until completely chilled before placing in the freezer. Going from one temperature extreme to another is what can cause too much expansion and may crack a glass casserole dish. Freeze for up to 1-2 months.

This makes a great dish for meal prepping, stocking the freezer, or gifting to a loved one! Especially hearty and nutrient dense for those cozy fall nights!