Chicken & Crookneck Lasagna

With a little less cheese and a lot more veggie, this squash and chicken lasagna is my new favorite summer pasta. The layer of fresh basil packs a punch, so don't underestimate that vital ingredient!

2 small yellow crookneck squash, grated

1 onion, diced

1 Tbsp garlic

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup cottage cheese

10 oz chicken breast, cooked and cubed

1/2 cup grated parmesan, divided

1 jar spaghetti sauce

5-6 lasagna noodles

1 small bunch fresh basil, washed

1 egg

1 Tbsp milk

Boil the lasagna noodles two at a time, for four minutes each; set aside.

In a separate pan, saute onion in olive oil for 2 minutes; add squash and garlic and cook until tender. Add ricotta, chicken, and 2 Tbsp parmesan (save the rest of the parmesan for the topping). 

Spray a deep casserole dish with nonstick baking spray. Pour enough spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Layer: noodles, half of the squash mixture, spaghetti sauce, noodles, remaining squash mixture, whole basil leaves (cover the entire layer), spaghetti sauce, and remaining noodles (if any remain). Add a thin layer of spaghetti sauce over the top. 

Mix remaining 1/4 cup parmesan with egg and milk; pour over top.

Bake, covered, at 375* for 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes or until sides are bubbly and parmesan topping is cooked through.

Pumpkin Ravioli

Every bit as amazing as it sounds. I forgot to take pictures, but it's probably for the best because as delicious as it was, I don't make the prettiest ravioli! It was my first time; I'll get better. This recipe is from Food Network's Wolfgang Puck and uses the pasta dough recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter (heck yeah!)
• 1 lb fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
• 2 cups heavy cream (double heck yeah!)
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 2 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 recipe pasta dough (below)
• 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
• Semolina or all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 shallots, chopped

Heat a saute pan over low heat and add 4 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter is foamy, add the cubed pumpkin and cook, stirring often to stop it from sticking and burning, until it softens and falls into a puree.

Turn the pumpkin into a saucepan, add 1/2 of the cream and half the herbs and cook over a low heat for approximately 1 hour, or until the puree is thick and the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and beat in an additional 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the beaten eggs, season, to taste, with salt and pepper and set a side to cool.

On a floured surface, roll out the pasta as thin as possible. Cut into 2 sheets and brush 1 of them with egg wash. Using a teaspoon, place 24 equal mounds of the pumpkin puree on the egg-washed dough, about 2 inches apart. Cover the mounded dough with the second sheet of pasta and press around the mounds of pumpkin to seal the dough.

Using a ravioli cutter or a sharp knife cut the ravioli. Dust a tray with semolina and place the ravioli on it.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, while you make the sauce.

Prepare the sauce: In a saucepan, reduce the stock with the shallots to 1/2 cup. Add the remaining cream and reduce by half. Over a low heat, whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, a little at a time, over low heat. Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and add the remaining sage and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the ravioli to the rapidly boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Add the ravioli to the sauce and bring just to a boil. Correct the seasonings.

*I used canned pumpkin instead of fresh pumpkin and a little red onion in place of shallots. I also did not strain the sauce before finishing it. It turned out soooo good! And I gotta say, Joe is one of the best sous chefs a girl could ask for!

Pasta Dough

Super basic, super simple recipe for homemade pasta dough. Modified* from Mr. Wolfgang Puck's recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until dough begins to mass on the blade, 1-2 min. Remove and press into a ball. Wrap ball in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least two hours to rest before rolling and cutting.

I borrowed Grandma's pasta cutter from Mom for this. Man, that's the only way to go! I can't imagine rolling that dough out thin enough by hand. It's so easy with the pasta machine! (I know, I totally sound like an infomercial...)

* The only modification I made from the original recipe was to use just all-purpose flour rather than half all-purpose and half semolina. Because I did not have semolina on hand. And I may or may not know what semolina is... And I'm pleased to say it turned out great without it!