Butternut Squash Lasagna with Cashew Cream & Kale Pesto

For this lasagne with kale pesto & cashew cream we use butternut squash layers instead of pasta sheets, making the recipe vegan and gluten-free

General information about lasagne: Lasagne is available with or without meat, but the pasta is usually not vegan (dairy products) and not gluten-free. Furthermore, lasagne with pasta is not exactly a natural product and therefore not particularly healthy. However, our recipe is: natural, vegan and gluten-free.

The following quotes are from Wikipedia :

Pasta shape: "Lasagne is a very wide type of ribbon pasta that is prepared in a similar way to macaroni. A dish made from wide ribbon pasta that is cooked, tossed in butter and served separately with grated Parmesan is known in culinary terms as Lasagne alla bolognese."

History: "According to a less popular theory, the dish has an English origin: In the Forme of Cury, a collection of recipes from the cooks at the court of King Richard II of England from the 14th century, the dish "loseyns" (pronounced "lasan") is described, which also includes layered pasta sheets baked with cheese."

Etymology: "The Italian lasagna (plural lasagne) ... derives from Ancient Greek τὰ λάσανα, tà lásana, meaning a rack for pots or frying pans. This word was adopted by the Romans as lasanum, meaning "cooking pot". The Italians used the word to refer to the vessel in which what is known as lasagne was prepared - thus the word lasagna refers to the dish itself."

Variations: "Lasagne pasticciate and Lasagne alla casalinga: Lasagne pasticciate or Lasagne alla casalinga, or Pasticcio for short, comes from Bologna and is better known in Germany as Lasagne al forno. The dish consists of several alternating layers of pasta sheets, Ragù alla bolognese (a simple minced meat sauce in a simplified recipe), béchamel sauce and grated Parmesan and is baked in the oven."

"Vincisgrassi: This speciality from the Marche is named after the Austrian Field Marshal Alfred I of Windisch-Graetz - Vincisgrassi is a corruption of this name. It is a casserole consisting of several alternating layers of pasta sheets, a sauce made from lamb, veal brain or veal sweetbreads, poultry liver, wine and tomato, a béchamel sauce and grated Parmesan. The special feature of this preparation lies on the one hand in the pasta dough prepared with dessert wine and on the other hand in the meat sauce seasoned with a little cinnamon."

"In modern cuisine, there are dishes with fish or seafood as well as vegetarian and vegan options. Lasagne is offered as a ready meal in chilled or frozen form."

Composition of the traditional pesto: The traditional pesto alla genovese (Genoese style) consists of basil, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil as well as grated Parmesan or Pecorino. The latter are not vegan. Apart from coarse salt, no spices are added.

The Sicilian variant: The Sicilian variant uses additional dried tomatoes and almonds instead of pine nuts and uses a little less basil.

Pesto alla calabrese: This is a particularly spicy variant from Calabria, in which a higher level of spiciness is achieved with pepper and paprika.

Flavor Expansion: Medium miso paste or yeast flakes The possibly one-dimensional taste of the lasagne can be easily expanded.

Different ways to prepare pesto: Pesto can be prepared in many different ways and originally a mortar was used. Pesto is a specific type of uncooked sauce.

The following quotes are from Wikipedia :

General information: " Pesto (from Italian pestare, "to crush") is a pasty, uncooked sauce that is usually served with pasta in Italian cuisine, especially in the region of origin, trofie or trenette are chosen."

Production: "When making by hand, the creamy mass should be prepared by crushing with a mortar to avoid excessive heat (such as from the high speed of an electrical appliance), which has a detrimental effect on the aroma. A quick approach is important, as oxidation can have a detrimental effect on the smell, taste and appearance."

Trade: "Industrially produced pesto is pasteurized or preserved with preservatives. Fresh, it is sold as a delicacy.

Pesto is a typical example of food design : in the majority of products, expensive ingredients from the classic recipe are completely or partially replaced by cheaper, similar-tasting ingredients and the renowned name is still used, albeit with sometimes misleading illustrations."