Squash & Chard Manicotti
from Cuisine at Home
Butternut squash is high in fiber and easy to work with. Cube it no larger than game dice — big chunks take longer to cook and are difficult to roll.
Serve with Balsamic-Walnut Salad.
For The Manicotti:
12 dry lasagna sheets (such as Barilla)
Filling:
2 1⁄2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
1 cup sliced leeks
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp. sugar
2 cups sliced Swiss chard
1 Tbsp. minced fresh sage
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp. black pepper
1 1⁄2 cups shredded Gruyère, divided
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3⁄4 cup grated Parmesan
1 egg
For The Béchamel:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups skim milk
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄4 tsp. white pepper
1⁄4 tsp. nutmeg
1⁄4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 425°; coat a large baking dish with nonstick spray.
For the manicotti, boil lasagna sheets until pliable, 4 minutes; drain.
Sauté squash, leeks, and pepper flakes for the filling in 2 Tbsp. butter in a nonstick skillet until leeks are soft, 5 minutes. Add broth and sugar; cover and simmer until liquid evaporates and squash is soft, 5–7 minutes. Stir in chard and sage; cover and sweat until chard wilts, 2 minutes. Season filling with ½ tsp. salt and black pepper.
Blend 1 cup of the Gruyère, the ricotta, Parmesan, and egg together in a large bowl. Fold in squash mixture.
For the béchamel, melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, cook 1 minute, then whisk in milk. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened; remove from heat and add ½ tsp. salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne. Coat the bottom of the baking dish with 1 cup béchamel.
Fill and roll manicotti; top with remaining béchamel and ½ cup Gruyère. Bake manicotti, uncovered, until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbly, 25 minutes. Let manicotti stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information Per manicotti: 294 cal; 14g total fat ( 8g sat); 57mg chol; 421mg sodium; 28g carb; 2g fiber; 16g protein
Makes: 12 manicotti; Total time: 2 hours
