This recipe is not exactly a light vegetable dish but it is so tasty if you are craving something a little rich and cheesy.  If I have some greens, sometimes I will chop a cooked green and add it in with the cheese layering.  It adds another nice color to the dish but this recipe needs no additions to be really special.

1 large butternut squash (about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds)
1 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 medium-to-large yellow onions, sliced in rings
pinch of sugar or a bit of honey
1 pound lasagna noodles
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk, heated until warm, but not boiling (if you use a microwave, heat 1-2 minutes)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel butternut squash, slice in half and scoop out the seeds.
Cut into 1-inch chunks and toss squash with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper.
Spread out in an even layer on a pan and roast 35-45 minutes, turning once or twice, until butternut squash is browned and fork-tender.
Remove from oven and turn the oven down to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onions and saute 1-2 minutes until the onions start to soften.
Add the sugar or honey and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking onions until they become very soft and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes.
Set aside.

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain, but do not rinse.

In a 3 quart saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes.
Add the milk all at once, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
Let the sauce cook about 5 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon.

Transfer the butternut squash to a food processor. Add the ricotta cheese and nutmeg. Process until smooth.

To assemble the lasagna, grease a 9 x 13 pan.
Place about 1/4 cup of the white sauce on the bottom of the pan.
Top with enough lasagna noodles to cover (it doesn’t matter if you have to cut the noodles to fit).
Top with half of the caramelized onions, then half of the butternut squash mixture and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.
Top with another layer of sauce, then the noodles, the remaining caramelized onions, butternut squash mixture and the rest of the Parmesan cheese.
Finish off with a layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce and the mozzarella cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes. Allow the lasagna to rest at least 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 10.

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