Layers of butternut squash and sweet potatoes meld together with spiced ground chicken in this savory and sweet casserole. The entire dish is topped with a sage-specked béchamel (white sauce) and baked until the vegetables soften and the béchamel becomes golden at the edges. It also includes a delicious sprinkling of Mizithra cheese, which is a hard cheese similar to Parmesan but made from sheep or goats’ milk. The result is a meal with deep, rich flavors and a large helping of cold weather vegetables, making it a perfect dish for winter or fall. • serves 8
Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes
Chicken
Sage Béchamel
To Assemble the Casserole
For the squash and sweet potatoes, peel the butternut squash and sweet potatoes and cut them into ¼-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle the salt on each side of the slices and set aside while you start the chicken.
For the chicken, melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking apart the meat with a large spoon or spatula, until the chicken is halfway cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, tomato, and sage and mix well. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, water, salt, black pepper, and cinnamon. Mix well, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until deep red in color.
Meanwhile, rinse the salt off of the sweet potato and squash slices and heat the olive oil in a wide and shallow pan. Cook each side of the sliced vegetables, frying for about 3 minutes per side until softened slightly. Set them aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
For the béchamel, melt the butter in a medium pan over low heat. Add the cornstarch and mix well until it forms a paste. Add the milk, ½ cup at a time, blending well after each addition. Stir in the sage, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and cook, uncovered and stirring every few minutes, for 10 minutes. Place the beaten egg yolks in a small bowl and add ½ cup of the milk mixture, whisking constantly. Add another ½ cup of the milk mixture to the bowl and mix well. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pan and whisk together until completely blended. Raise the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to a gravy-like consistency, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
To assemble, grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the grated cheese in the dish as well as a pinch of black pepper and a pinch of sage. Create a single layer with about one-third of the butternut squash slices and sprinkle another tablespoon cheese and pinch of sage on top. Then create a single layer of one-third of the sweet potatoes and do the same with more cheese and sage. Repeat this process one more time so you have 2 alternating layers of butternut squash, cheese, sweet potatoes, and cheese. Pour the chicken mixture over the vegetable layers and create another layer of butternut squash and more cheese and sage, and another layer of sweet potatoes and more cheese and sage. Pour the béchamel over the top and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the top of the béchamel begins to brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.