Hearty, delicious, and very much comfort food, these can be prepared a day in advance and then popped into the oven. I recommend using no-boil, rectangular lasagna noodles for the best result. Then, yes, boil the noodles in salted water for 5 to 8 minutes to soften them for easy rolling.

Lasagna Roll Ups

Serves 4 to 6, depending on side dishes
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 

9 rectangular squares no-boil lasagna noodles or 12 regular lasagna noodles
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3/4 cup (185 milliliters) small-diced butternut squash
1/2teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) dried thyme
10 ounces (284 grams) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1- 1/4cups (308 grams) ricotta
2 cups (492 grams) grated mozzarella, divided
½ cup fresh grated Parmesan, divided
1 egg
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon (.62 milliliters) ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
3 cups (750 milliliters) marinara sauce, homemade or purchased

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C). Place 1 tablespoon (5 milliliters) olive oil in the bottom of a small baking dish. Toss in squash, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, tossing once or twice. Set aside to cool. Lower oven temperature to 350° F (176° C) if baking lasagna immediately. Otherwise, preheat oven to 350° F (176° C) before cooking the lasagna.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook no-boil noodles for 5 to 8 minutes to soften so they can be rolled. For regular lasagna noodles, cook according to package directions. As noodles cook, transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Then squeeze them between your fingers to remove excess water, place flat on waxed paper, and brush with olive oil to keep them from sticking. 

2. In a bowl, combine cooled squash with spinach, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, egg, oregano, nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) each of salt and pepper. Combine remaining cheese in a small bowl to use as topping. 

3. Pour half the marinara into a lasagna pan approximately 12 x 10 inches (30 x 20 centimeters). Assemble the roll ups: Portion the filling between the noodles and spread to cover most of the noodle. Roll from the short side like a cigar, cut in half lengthwise if using no-bake noodles, and place, seam side down, in the pan. Pour remaining marinara sauce over the top, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day, or cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

About Molesini Wine Club

This recipe was developed for Molesini Wine Club to be included in virtual tasting notes with wine shipments. Molesini Wine Club, based out of Cortona, Tuscany, features Italian wines that are otherwise unavailable outside of Europe. Marco and Paolo Molesini work closely with over 1,000 producers from across the country to ensure they are procuring the top labels from small producers making the finest boutique wines. Explore with them as they lead you through Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, and many lesser-known wine regions of their country. Members can customize shipments, decide on a tier that fits their palate best, and enjoy exclusive access to the most stunning wines of Italy. As a member of the Molesini Wine Club means becoming part of the Molesini family and we invite you to join us for this experience. For more information, please visit the Molesini Wine Club website.