Butternut Squash and Lentil Lasagna (Vegetarian)

Lentil sauce:

1. Finely chop the leek, carrot, celery, shallots, and garlic.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and braise the vegetables lightly, about 5 minutes.
3. Simmer: Add the washed lentils and tomato paste. Stir well and add the vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are cooked.
4. Grate the potato and add it to the pot. Let cook for 5 to 10 more minutes or until the grated potato is soft, the sauce creamy, and the lentils soft but not mushy (Note 3). Adjust the taste with salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar.

Butternut squash sauce:

1. Prepare butternut squash: In the meantime, peel and grate the butternut squash (use a food processor if you wish). Then, chop the remaining shallots and garlic.
2. Braise squash: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Lightly braise the shallots and the garlic, add squash, and braise it for about 5 minutes. Add honey, 2 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
3. Simmer sauce: Add the heavy cream and let cook until everything turns creamy, about 6-8 minutes. Add a splash of milk if the sauce seems too thick.
4. Adjust the taste with salt, pepper, and more balsamic vinegar, if necessary. Stir in the parsley.

Assemble the lasagna:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Assemble the butternut squash lasagna with lentils in a rectangular casserole dish:⅓ of the squash mixture - lasagna sheets – ½ of the lentil mixture - some of the cheese - lasagna sheets again ⅓ of the squash mixture – lasagna sheets – ½ of the lentil mixture – some of the cheese - lasagna sheets ⅓ of the squash mixture as the last layer.Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese and dot with some butter flakes.
3. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the lasagna sheets are cooked through. Check by poking the noodles with a fork.