Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna with Smoky Marinara Sauce

It happened again. I keep hoping every year that it won't turn dark and cold but the seasons are stubbornly predictable and once again I've lost my evening sun. During the daytime it's gorgeous here. The leaves are ablaze with the colors of fall. It's cool and I smell Christmas in the air. But by 5 o'clock it all disappears and the darkness sets in. And I haven't even made it home from school or started dinner yet.

Taking a decent photo of what I'm eating is becoming difficult, but I'll stop complaining, because I love the food of this season. This is my autumn lasagna... roasted butternut squash and spinach with a smoky marinara sauce. The smokiness comes from the fire-roasted tomatoes, smoked paprika, and smoked provolone. Don't skip any one of those ingredients. They add a really special touch. I made quite a few changes to Cooking Light's version of this recipe. For instance, I got rid of the ricotta and replaced it with fresh mozzarella (which melts luxuriously). This dish is a rich, gooey, cheesy mess. In the best way possible.

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
16 oz. chopped frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 9 oz. package whole wheat no boil lasagna noodles
fresh mozzarella, grated
smoked provolone, grated
Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated

Roasted Butternut Squash:
1 medium to large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Smoky Marinara Sauce:
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried oregano)
1 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 28-oz. can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. To roast the squash, preheat oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease with cooking spray. Toss the squash with olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.

2. To prepare the sauce, preheat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the basil, parsley, oregano, paprika, vinegar, and tomatoes. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. To prepare the filling, preheat olive oil in a second large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the spinach and cook for several minutes until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. To prepare the lasagna, pour a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Place a single layer of noodles over the sauce. Top with a layer of mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan, then half of the roasted squash, half of the spinach mixture, and 1/3 of the remaining sauce. Top with another layer of noodles, another layer of cheese, the remaining squash, the remaining spinach mixture, and half of the remaining sauce. Top with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, and a generous sprinkling of cheeses.

5. Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes uncovered, until golden and bubbling.

Serves 8.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)