Open Ravioli With Squash & Porcini Mushrooms

Don't leave the vegetarians out this Christmas, with this special yet easy to manage recipe

• Cooking Time Prep 40 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  504

• Protein

  17g

• Carbs

  49g

• Fat

  28g

• Saturates

  11g

• Fibre

  7g

• Sugar

  13g

• Salt

  1.61g

Ingredients

• 450g butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 25g butter
• generous grating nutmeg
• 25g vegetarian parmesan -style cheese, coarsely grated
• For the porcini dressing
• 1 tbsp finely chopped dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• To serve
• generous pinch saffron
• 85g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
• 1 fat garlic clove, shredded
• 100g bag baby spinach
• 4 sheets fresh lasagne, halved
• shavings of parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), optional

Directions

1. Put the squash and butter in a pan with 5 tbsp water. Tightly cover pan and cook for 15 mins until the squash is just tender, but not coloured. Roughly mash with seasoning, nutmeg and Parmesan.
2. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Put the chopped porcini in a small bowl with 3 tbsp boiling water. Cover with cling film and cook for 1 min in the microwave on High, then leave to cool. Mix 1 tbsp oil with the vinegar and soy, then add the soaked mushrooms with almost all of the liquid (leave the last drop behind as it might contain grit).
3. To serve, boil a pan of water with the saffron and some salt for 5 mins to extract some colour and flavour. Meanwhile, fry the mushrooms in the remaining oil. When they are nearly cooked, add the garlic so that it browns and crisps, but doesn't burn. Pierce the bag of spinach and wilt in the microwave for 1 min. Reheat the squash in the microwave, too.
4. Boil the lasagne for 1 min until just tender, then drain. Put 3 little piles of spinach on 2 warm serving plates. Top each with a square of lasagne, then a spoonful of squash-spread it out a little, add a few spinach leaves, then top with another square of pasta. Continue these layers until you end up with a stack of 4 layers of pasta on each plate, then top each with a spoonful of squash. Scatter round the garlicky mushrooms, Prepare ahead
5. The squash can be mashed and the dressing made up to 2 days ahead; keep them both covered in the fridge. To serve, reheat the squash in a pan or in the microwave and take the dressing out to come to room temperature generously spoon over the dressing, or allow guest to help themselves at the table, and sprinkle over some Parmesan shavings, if you like.

Categories: All Christmas, Cooking For..., Dinner Party, Vegetarian