Squash-Stuffed Cannelloni with Roasted-Shallot Sauce and Hazelnuts

For Valentine's Day I decided to make a fancy-ish, more involved dinner for myself than I usually do. I used up the rest of my frozen butternut squash from last summer's CSA in the process. This was... I don't know. Not as spectacular as one would hope. Obviously I vegetarianized it and didn't add the bacon, but I'm sure that isn't the reason it was just mediocre. I don't know. Maybe it was. I wouldn't make this again.



Squash-Stuffed Cannelloni with Roasted-Shallot Sauce and Hazelnuts
Cooking Light, December 2003

Prepare the creamy filling up to a day in advance. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth, and sauté the shallots and garlic in oil, omitting the bacon.

Filling:
10 cups cubed butternut squash -- (1/2-inch) (about 4 pounds)
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter -- melted
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:
3 slices applewood smoked bacon -- chopped
1/2 pound shallots -- peeled and halved
2 garlic cloves -- crushed
1/2 cup dry white wine
14 ounces fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Remaining Ingredients:
16 cooked lasagna noodles
3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese -- (3 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped blanched hazelnuts -- toasted

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. To prepare filling, combine first 3 ingredients on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with butter; toss to coat. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Place squash mixture in a large bowl; mash with a potato masher. Stir in sour cream, 1/4 cup half-and-half, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

3. To prepare sauce, cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add 1/2 pound shallots and garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place pan on stovetop over medium-high heat. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons half-and-half, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

4. Spread 1/4 cup filling over each noodle, leaving a 1/2-inch border on each short end. Beginning with a short end, roll up noodles jelly-roll fashion. Place rolls, seam sides down, in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Pour sauce over noodles; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until cheese is golden. Sprinkle with bacon and hazelnuts.

Servings: 8