Chicken and Butternut Squash Lasagna

This weekend I was honored with a visit from some very dear Boston friends, "R" and "M", who have quickly become some of my favorite people to cook for simply because they are so willing to try whatever I happen to prepare for them. This weekend, as "R" seemed keen to try some homemade pasta, I decided to go with lasagna. However I didn't much feel like going with the traditional meet, cheese, and tomato version - obviously a wonderful classic, but one that leaves out the tasty array of autumnal produce - and so I opted to try out some flavor combinations, making use of some seasonal produce as well as some leftovers in the fridge. What I forgot to think about is that "M", being from the Midwest, prefers the carnivore side of being an omnivore. Nevertheless he did manage to taste and hold down some butternut squash, which I found highly admirable. In exchange I accepted his request for a chocolate souffle for dessert, which turned out to be a group effort. Without further ado, my recipe for chicken and butternut squash lasagna:

Fresh Pasta
100g type '00' flour
1 egg
pinch of salt

1) Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until the dough just begins to come together. Turn out the dough onto a work surface and kneed together with hands. Kneed until the dough is smooth and elastic, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
2) Pass the dough through a pasta roller, cutting as necessary into manageable pieces. I like lasagna sheets to be fairly thin, and so went until the sixth setting. However if you would like your sheets to be a little thicker, you may need to prepare more dough - the ratio is easy, one egg per 100g of flour.
3) Lay the pasta sheets on a clean kitchen towel - they will dry out over time - until you're ready to use them.

Chicken and Butternut Squash Lasagna
4 whole chicken legs or breasts, cooked and cooled, and meat torn into bite-sized pieces - I was using leftovers, and so had roasted meat, but you may choose to cook them however you choose
1 butternut squash, peeled
3 red onions, peeled, halved, and sliced thinly
1 tblsp honey
2 cups shredded cheese - I chose Fontina because it melts so wonderfully, but a nice cheddar would work really well also
10 leaves of fresh sage, roughly chopped
2 tblsp butter
2 tblsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tblsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup cream

1) Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and then again crosswise. Remove the seeds from the bottom rounded halves. With the narrower half turn each piece onto their cut sides and slice each so that you have 1/4" half moon shapes. Place these on a sheet pan, season, and coat with 1 tblsp of olive oil. Roast in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, and turn each piece over. Return to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes until squash is tender.
2) Cut the remaining squash into cubes. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the remaining tblsp of olive oil, the cubed squash, and the sage. Saute for 5 minutes or so until the squash just begins to soften then add enough water to just cover the top of the cubes. Allow to simmer stirring occasionally until the water has evaporated. If some pieces of squash are still too firm add more water and allow to evaporate 1/4 cup at a time until you achieve your desired texture - I was going for almost a puree. Season your mixture and remove to a bowl to cool slightly.
3) In another pan melt 1 tblsp of butter over medium-low heat and when it begins to foam add the red onion slices. Allow to sweat then add the honey and continue to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the onions will caramelize evenly. Set these aside as well and have all your ingredients ready to layer.
4) Combine the chicken pieces, the stock, and the cream in a saucepan and bring to just below a simmer. Combine the remaining tblsp of butter with the flour until a thick paste forms, and add a spoonful of this to the hot chicken and liquid, stirring after each addition and stopping after you have achieved your desired sauce consistency.
5) Boil a large pot of salted water, and cook the lasagna sheets for 3-5 minutes - it is better if they are more than just slightly al dente, as they will finish cooking and absorbing juices in the oven. Drain the pasta and run cool water over them and dry on a clean kitchen towel.

6) To assemble you lasagna, butter the bottom and sides of any oven-safe pan you wish to use. First place the sliced, roasted butternut squash pieces in the bottom of the pan and cover with a layer of the lasagna sheets. Next add a layer of all the thickened chicken mixture as well as a layer of shredded cheese and cover with another layer of pasta. Put the butternut squash almost-puree on top with a layer of the cheese and a final layer of pasta. Lastly spread the caramelized onions evenly over the surface of the lasagna and top with the last bit of cheese. The lasagna is now ready for the oven and should be nicely heated through when baked for 30 - 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve with a green salad dressed with a maple-balsamic vinaigrette.