Butternut Squash Lasagna

I really like the idea, but the execution wasn't really good, and I had several problems with the recipe.

First of all, cups. I know that it's just down to what you're used to, and I don't happen to be used to measuring food in volume while a lot people are, but sometimes I just don't get it. I mean, 1 cup flour is 1 cup flour, but how on earth should I know how many balls of mozzarella you need for 4.5 cup shredded mozzarella? Doesn't that depend too much on how finely you shred it? Isn't it easier and just as (im)precise to just say '3 large onions' instead of '3 cups chopped onions'?

Then, quantities. Quantity of dairy products, specifically. My estimate is that this recipe contains about 2 kg dairy products (anything from full fat milk to half a kilo of Mozzarella) in relation to 1 kg butternut squash. I never use skimmed products because I believe that natural is best, and I don't count calories either, but I thought that was a bit much. I reduced that by half, mainly by using only half of the ricotta and less than half of the mozzarella and Parmesan (though I did add a little grated Gouda on top). Next time, I would skip the ricotta entirely, the bechamel sauce plus cheese is all you need. That's the other thing: mozzarella and all the other dairy products are comparatively sweet, as is butternut squash. Either you need to add lots of salt to compensate, or you choose a cheese that is naturally salty by itself.

Then, texture. Unfortunately, everything was just a bit mushy, you nearly could have fed it to a baby (where it not for the fat and the salt). Next time I wouldn't cook the butternut squash as long so that it retains some bite, and I wouldn't puree it in the food processor either - half cm/quarter inch slices are just fine.

Last, I chose this recipe specifically because I wanted to use our balcony grown sage. Unfortunately, you didn't taste it at all, and it just had a tiny hint of thyme. Use more of both.