PIE

• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves - roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp cumin seeds - roughly crushed in mortar and pestle
• 1 Tbsp coriander seeds - roughly crushed in mortar and pestle
• 2 tsp Aleppo chile flakes
• 12 oz. jar red peppers - drained
• 1 tsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt and black pepper
• 1 3/4 lb butternut squash flesh - cut into 1/8“ slices
• 8 oz dried lasagna noodles - roughly broken into 3-4 pieces
• 7 oz baby spinach
• 1 packed cup basil leaves torn into halves
• 1 cup Greek feta
• 1/2 cup heaping - grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

SAUCE

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all purpose flower
• 1 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 garlic cloves - minced
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

1. Heat oven to 400 deg. Grease 9” springform cake pan then line it with a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the base and hang over the sides by a couple inches. Set aside.
2. Add oil to small fry pan and heat, add garlic and cook 1 min. until fragrant but not brown. Add the tomato paste cumin, coriander and chile flakes and cook for im min. more, stirring often until deeply red. Cool slightly and add to small food processor with red peppers, sugar, salt and a grind of pepper. Blitz until smooth.
3. Empty mixture into very large bowl and add squash, lasagna noodles, spinach, basil, feta, Parmesan, salt and good grind of pepper. Mix so everything is coated and transfer to cake pan, adding 1/3 at time and pressing to compact. Tightly seal with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour..
4. During last 15 min of bake time make the sauce. Melt the butter in medium sauce pan, whisk in the flour and cook, whisking steadily for 2-3 min. or until it starts to smell like popcorn. Slowly pour in the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking with each addition until fully incorporated. Turn heat down and add garlic and salt. Using flat end spoon stir and cook for 2 min., stirring to ensure the bottom doesn't scorch and the mixture is smooth. Off heat stir in the Parmesan. Cover to keep warm until use.
5. After the pie has cooked for 1 hour remove from oven and remove foil cover. Expose the top and spoon the sauce evenly over the surface keeping separate from base.
6. Turn oven up to 450 deg.. Place cake pan on its baking sheet and bake for another 15 - 20 min rotating 1/2 way through until nicely browned on top. Set aside to cool for at least 15 min.
7. Carefully release the pie from the springform pan, loosening the outer ring then using the parchment to help lift it onto a serving plate.

Serves: 10    Total cook time: 1 hr 20 min. + 15 min cool
Source: NYT Recipes

• INGREDIENT 1…

1. step 1
2. step 2

Serves: X      Total cook time: X
Source: X