Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups

When I was little I loved to go visit my grandmother. The whole family travelled by train to Basel, a journey that takes little more than an hour, but felt soo long back then. The best visits were when my grandmother picked us up at the train station. Me and my siblings wanted each to see her first, to run and leap into her arms first. We then would take the tram to her place, were she had already lovingly prepared the same thing every single time. Buttery roasted potatoes. A huge leg of lamb, roasted in the oven. And some snap peas she grew in her garden in spring and always cooked for me when I visited because she knew I loved them. These snap peas, they made me felt loved.
Back then I learnt unconsciously what I know now. We can show our love with food. Be it the cupcakes you make vegan or gluten-free to celebrate with a friend who would have had to go without or the batch of cookies you make to bring to a friend when you are invited for dinner. The dinner you make that is anything but spectacular, but shared.

I made these lasagna roll ups this week for lunch, for me and my boyfriend. They require a little time to make, maybe not the best fit for a weekday lunch. But still, they are easy to make, unfussy with a simple, classical pairing of squash, sage and hazelnuts. They are soft and sweet and crunchy and herby all in one bite. And they just look really lovely, something you'd serve someone you love. Go cook for someone you love this week. Make it something special. Or just share a simple meal together.



Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups

Note: I had some problems with the lasagna sheets, the stuck together, a lot. I think rising the sheets with cold water after cooking them and separating them instantly should help. Or use shells and fill stuff them with the butternut squash puree, top with the sage and nuts and bake them instead of the lasagna sheets. If you plan ahead, you can make the butternut squash puree the night before and have those ready in half an hour.


16 lasagna sheets
a small butternut squash
2 bay leaves
salt
1 tbsp olive oil
pepper
a small handful sage leaves, chopped
2 tbsp coarsely chopped hazelnuts
Parmesan (optional)

Start with preparing the butternut squash puree. Peel the squash, remove the seeds and cut into small cubes. Throw all the cubes into a pot, cover with water, add a little salt and the bay leaves and cook covered over medium heat until the squash is soft. Drain off most of the water, remove the bay leaves, then mash the squash with a fork or a potato masher. Add the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool down.
In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna sheets according to the instructions on the package. They continue cooking in the oven so err on the undercooked side. Drain and try to separate them immediately. Rinse with cold water so that you can handle them.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Prepare a baking dish that is big enough to accomodate 15 lasagna roll ups. They take up quite a lot of space.
Lay out one sheet of lasagne on a flat surface. Spread with about a tablespoon of the butternut squash puree. Sprinkle a little of the chopped sage leaves on top, then start rolling up on the short side of the pasta. Place, seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the other sheets.
Sprinkle the top with some grated parmesan and the chopped hazelnuts.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese started to melt and the pasta sheets started to brown a bit on the edges.

Serves 3-4.