Pumpkin Lasagna
Apr 1st, 2009 by Lasagna
Ingredients:
Note: Another Brie-like cheese may be substituted for Taleggio.
1 small pumpkin, about 3 pounds is the perfect size
1 head garlic, outer husk removed, cloves separated
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Pinch cayenne
3 cups milk
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
1 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 pound fresh lasagna sheets
1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, diced
1/2 pound firm Taleggio, cut or broken into small dice
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds. Place the pumpkin cut-side down on a baking sheet and bake until soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Arrange the garlic cloves in a very small baking dish, add the olive oil and cover with foil. Bake until very soft, about 30 to 35 minutes.
2. When the pumpkin is cooked, drain it cut-side down in a colander, spoon out the meat, then mash it lightly. (It does not have to be smooth, but if it is too stringy, pulse it a few times in a food processor.) Season generously with salt and pepper to taste and a little cayenne. Set aside.
3. When the garlic is cooked, squeeze the pulp out of the skins and set it aside (reserve the oil for another use).
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil to cook the lasagna sheets.
5. Warm the milk in a saucepan with the bay leaf. Melt the butter in a second saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until bubbly and smooth. Discard the bay leaf and whisk in the milk. Cook until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add the garlic, mashing with a spoon to smooth into the sauce. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir in half the grated pecorino. Keep warm.
6. Cook the lasagna until just al dente, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Drain well.
7. Spread one-quarter (about three-fourths cup) of the white sauce in the bottom of a 7- by 10-inch baking dish. Place a layer of lasagna sheets on top to cover, then spoon on half the pumpkin, spreading to cover completely. Top with another layer of lasagna sheets, one-quarter of the white sauce and all the prosciutto. Place a layer of lasagna sheets on top and arrange the Taleggio bits evenly over it. Top with another layer of lasagna sheetsa, then with the remaining pumpkin, and finally with a last layer of lasagna sheets, pressing down if necessary to fit into the pan. Spread the remaining white sauce over the top to cover completely. Sprinkle with the remaining pecorino. Place on a baking sheet to catch drips and bake until the top is browned and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.
Total time: About 2 1/2 hours
Servings: 8 to 10
Let me know if you try this.
I tried this last night, and it turned out AMAZING. My boyfriend doesn’t even particularly like pumpkin, and he gave it 2 thumbs up.
I did make some changes to the recipe:
1. I keep kosher, so prosciutto was not on the menu. I substituted long thin strips of zucchini instead.
2. Could not find Tallegio cheese, subbed creamy brie; same for Romano, subbed a grated Romano/Parmesan mix.
3. Thought I had a clove of garlic at home, but didn’t, so I had a jar of crushed garlic in the frig. Worked just fine.
All in all my changes were minor, and the flavors were really well-balanced. I also have to say, the white sauce was fantastic. I’ve been searching for a good ratio of flour to butter to milk, and this recipe seemed to hit it spot-on.
The quality of the info is what keeps me on this site, thanks!
Wish You a Merry Christmas.
Nice recipe, Your recipe would be fruitful and useful for those someone who really want’s to interest in such kind of recipes.
Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe with us.
Cheers,
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