Preparation Steps

• Preheat your oven to 425°, and line a baking sheet with foil lightly misted with cooking spray.
• Place your cubed butternut squash and apples into a large bowl, and drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle over a generous couple of pinches of salt and black pepper, along with 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup, the dried sage and the Herbes de Provence; toss to coat.
• Turn the mixture out onto your prepared baking sheet, and roast for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally for even roasting, or until the squash is tender.
• While the butternut squash and apples roast, place a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add a small drizzle of olive oil. Once the pan is very hot, add the crumbled sweet Italian sausage and cook until browned and cooked through, a few minutes. Remove from the pan and keep in a bowl.
• If additional oil is needed in the pan, add a small amount in; then, add the sliced fennel and onion into the pan and caramelize together for about 10-12 minutes, or until deeply golden and a bit jammy in texture. Remove from pan and add to the sausage.
• Once the butternut squash and apples are tender and roasted, switch your oven setting to 'broil'.
• To prepare the casserole, carefully spoon the roasted butternut squash/apples into a large bowl, and add the sausage/fennel/onion mixture. Pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and toss to combine, then spoon into a medium size baking dish.
• If preparing fried sage leaves as a garnish, heat about ¼ cup of oil in a small saucepan, and once shimmering, add the sage leaves and fry for about 20 seconds. Remove them and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside.
• To finish the casserole, top with the grated Gruyere cheese and place into the oven under the broiler for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden-brown.
• Garnish the butternut squash casserole with either the fried sage leaves or fresh ones, and serve.