Butternut squash & Edam gratin with sage

Butternut squash and sliced potatoes cooked in a creamy cheese sauce - perfect served with a mixed salad or as an accompaniment to Christmas turkey or nut roast
 
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: About 1 hour

What you need:

• 1 large butternut squash, about 900g (2lb)
• 750g (1lb 7oz) potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 30ml (2tbsp) olive oil
• 300ml (½pt) reduced fat crème frâiche
• 150g (5oz) Edam, grated
• 8 sage leaves 

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 200º C, 400ºF gas mark 6.
2. Cut the skin off the squash and thinly slice the trunk into thin rounds. Halve the bulb end and scoop out the seeds, thinly slice into crescents.
3. Place the squash and potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil and the garlic, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place half this mixture in the base of an ovenproof dish.
4. Mix together the crème frâiche with the cheese and spoon half this mixture over the vegetables. Top with the remaining vegetables and spoon the remaining cheese mixture over the top. Arrange the sage leaves on top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Return to the oven and cook uncovered for a further 10 minutes until the topping is golden. Delicious served as a vegetarian main meal with salad or as an accompaniment to grilled chicken.

Handy cook's tip:

As a non vegetarian alternative, you could add some cooked chopped smoked bacon or add a layer of wilted spinach.

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