Butternut Squash Lasagne with Goat Cheese, Sage, and Breadcrumbs

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash, about 3 lb., halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1 tsp. chopped thyme
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 Tbs. unsalted butter, divided
• 2 sprigs fresh sage, plus 1 Tbs. chopped sage
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• 6 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup finely grated pecorino romano, divided
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 lb. lasagne noodles, cooked and drained

Directions

1. Set an oven rack in the middle position and heat to 425°F. Arrange the squash halves, cut sides facing up, on a sturdy rimmed baking sheet. Tuck into each hollow 1 garlic clove along with 1 thyme sprig. Spoon 1 tsp. of the oil over each half, then sprinkle each with 1/4 tsp. salt and a little pepper. Roast until the squash has browned patches and a skewer slides in easily, 45 to 50 minutes. Take it out and leave it until fully cool. Pull out the thyme sprigs. Slip the skins off the garlic and drop the cloves into a large bowl. Scrape the squash out of its skin and add it to the bowl. Use a fork to mash everything until smooth, then adjust with salt and pepper.
2. Turn the oven down to 350°F. In a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbs. of the butter. Drop in the sage sprigs and let them sizzle until the butter smells of sage, 2 to 3 minutes, then lift out and discard the sage. Whisk in the flour until the mixture is smooth and lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking as you go, and keep cooking, whisking now and then, until a spoon dipped into the sauce comes out coated, about 15 minutes. Stir in goat cheese, nutmeg, 1 tsp. salt, a few grinds of pepper, and 1/2 cup of the pecorino. Taste and add more salt and pepper if it needs it. Measure out 1-1/2 cups of the sauce and keep it separate, then fold what remains into the mashed squash.
3. Set a small skillet over medium heat and melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter. Stir together the breadcrumbs with the chopped sage, chopped thyme, a pinch of salt, and a little pepper in a small bowl. Pour the butter in and stir it through.
4. Use 1/2 cup reserved cheese sauce to coat the bottom of a 9x13x3-inch baking dish. Arrange cooked noodles on top, letting them overlap a bit and cutting pieces where you need to fill gaps. Add 1 cup squash mixture over the noodles and smooth it out. Add another noodle layer, then keep building in that pattern until you end up with 4 layers of squash mixture and 5 layers of pasta. Cover the top with the remaining 1 cup cheese sauce. Scatter on the breadcrumb mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup pecorino.
5. Tent the baking dish with foil, then bake it for 40 minutes. Take away the foil and continue baking until the top is browned and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let it settle for at least 10 minutes before you serve it.