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Potato Sage Butternut Squash Au Gratin - CaliZona

9 - 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Pounds Russet Potatoes - 1/8 inch slices about 5 cups sliced
  • 1 Pound Butternut Squash - 1/8 inch slices about 4 cups sliced I had a 3 1/2 lb squash and used the neck only
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 Cloves Garlic - minced
  • 2 Tablespoons White Rice Flour
  • 4 1/2 Cups Half & half
  • 2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese - shredded
  • 1 1/2 Cups Pecorino - finely shredded - divided
  • 1 Cup Asiago Cheese - finely shredded
  • 2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
  • 1 Recipe Sage Flavor Bomb - recipe below
  • 1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs GF recipe below or store-bought
  • 1 Bunch Sage Leaves

Sage Flavor Bomb

  • 1 Cup loosely packed Fresh Sage
  • 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Clove Garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed
  • 1/4 Teaspoons Sea Salt or to taste

Panko Bread Crumbs

  • 2 Cups Srsly Sourdough Bread = 1/2 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs - store-bought or homemade recipe below

Instructions

Potatoes, Squash and Panko

  1. Thinly slice the potatoes in a food processor or with a mandolin or knife. Cut into 1/8 inch slices.
  2. Soak the potato slices in a bowl of water to remove the starch. Set aside for at least 15 minutes.
  3. Cut the neck off the squash and carefully cut off the skin.
  4. Thinly slice the squash and sprinkle with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and gently toss. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.
  5. If you are making gluten-free panko, start it now. If not, ignore steps 6 - 11
  6. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
  7. Tear the bread into small pieces.
  8. In a food processor, add the torn bread and pulse until it resembles a fine crumb.
  9. Spread out in a thin layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  10. Bake for 10 minutes and stir and evenly spread it out.
  11. Bake for 10 more minutes. If crispy, you can remove and let cool completely. If it has any moisture, put it back in until all the moisture is gone. I do 5 minutes at a time.
  12. Arrange the squash on paper towels with another on top to remove excess moisture.
  13. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, strain the water from the potatoes and add to the boiling water.
  14. Set the timer for 3 minutes then strain.
  15. You will need to pat them dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels to remove excess water.

Cheese Sauce

  1. Grate the cheese and set aside a half cup of pecorino.
  2. Add the garlic and butter to a large heavy straight-sided pan over medium-low heat.
  3. When the butter is melted, stir until the garlic is lightly cooked.
  4. Stir in the flour and slowly whisk in the half and half a little at a time. The flour will seize up until there is enough half and half.
  5. When it loosens up, you can add the rest of the half and half.
  6. As soon as the half and half become hot, add a little cheddar at a time whisking continually. Continue with the other cheese.

Assembly

  1. Preheat oven to 375
  2. Spread a cup of the cream sauce on the bottom of a 2 1/2 or 3-quart casserole dish. (It will depend on the size of your dish to how many layers you will have. I used a large one in the photos and had 3 layers of potatoes and 3 space layers of squash. In a smaller dish, I had 4 layers of potatoes.)
  3. Remove one more cup of sauce and set aside.
  4. Arrange a layer of potatoes by dipping each slice into the sauce, drizzle on a little more cream sauce, arrange the squash layers with space in between.
  5. Spoon some cream onto the squash.
  6. Repeat once more.
  7. Drizzle the sage flavor bomb or pesto evenly and layer another layer of potatoes dipped in the sauce.
  8. Arrange the last of the squash with space in between.

  9. Drizzle on the remaining cup of sauce and anything left over.

  10. Bake covered for 35 minutes on the middle rack.
  11. Sprinkle the remaining reserved cheese over potatoes and then the panko or hazelnuts.
  12. Spread out the sage leaves over the top.
  13. Bake uncovered 35 minutes longer or until the top is brown and bubbly.
  14. Let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes before serving so that liquids will set.