PUMPKIN LASAGNE
Pumpkin Lasagne
Serves 4 (increase qty to make larger tray)
1/2 medium Kent Pumpkin, skin removed, cut into chunks
1 brown onion, diced
1 sprig rosemary, whole
2 leaves sage, whole
Olive oil
Sea salt, to season
Bechamel
6 tbs (85g) butter
1/2 cup (70g) plain flour
4 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed with rosemary, bay & sage
2 cups cheese (1 cup parmesan / 1 cup cheddar - or melting cheeses of your choice), reserve a little cheese for topping the lasagne
Walnut Ricotta
1/2 cup walnuts
500g fresh ricotta
Rosemary & Sage, finely chopped
Sea salt, to taste
5 fresh lasagne sheets
Step 1. Preheat an oven to 180C. Drizzle pumpkin pieces with olive oil and season with salt. Toss to coat and then place onto a roasting tray and into the oven for 20-25 mins or until pumpkin is soft.
Step 2. While the pumpkin is cooking, saute the onion in a little olive oil along with rosemary and sage. As you cook your onion, begin the walnut ricotta by quickly blitzing the nuts in a blender and then adding to a large bowel with the ricotta, herbs and sea salt. Set aside until needed.
Step 3. For the bechamel starting with butter, then adding flour and cooking out for 1-2mins, then add the warmed, herb milk a little at a time working with a whisk to get a super smooth sauce. Add cheeses and if needed any extra milk to ensure the correct silky smooth consistency.
Step 4. Blitz together the pumpkin and onion mix (remove rosemary stalk) until a chunky puree (you don't want to turn the pumpkin into soup). Now it is time to build, you can really choose your own adventure here but I start with some bechamel, then lasagne sheet, followed by the pumpkin, another lasagne sheet, ricotta walnut mix, topped with bechamel, then lasagne sheet again, more pumpkin, a further lasagne sheet, then again the ricotta mix, topped finally with a last sheet of lasagne and topped with bechamel and cheese.
Step 5. Into the preheated oven and bake for 25mins or until hot, bubbling and golden on the top.
