Roast Pumpkin Lasagne

Between the 2 of us we've posted quite a few lasagne's and here is yet another one. I guess it shows how many different ways there are to do 1 dish! I made this one while I was at home in Adelaide recently for a large group including vegetarians. I found half a butternut pumpkin/squah in the fridge and sliced it very thinly and roasted it and included it as one of the layers. It worked so well! So many people have an infinity with roast pumpkin.

Note the empty plates and lasagne from a different angle at the bottom, everyone really enjoyed it.

½ butternut pumpkin/squash
2 sprigs fresh rosemary finely chopped
2 x 400g tins of peeled tomatoes
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 onion, diced
Handful fresh basil leaves, torn
1 packet of fresh lasagne sheets
Salt and pepper
½ tsp nutmeg
300g grated mozzarella
100g grated parmesan

Bechamel sauce
140g butter
3 tbs flour
5 cups milk
1 ½ tsp nutmeg

To begin preheat the oven to 200C.

Next peel the butternut pumpkin and cut into large thin slices. Place on a baking tray and sprinkle with olive oil, rosemary and salt and pepper. Place in hot oven for 15-25 minutes till roasted and set aside till you build the lasagne.

In a large pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion and garlic and fry on a medium heat till soft. Add the tins of tomatoes and season and stir. Allow to simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes till nice and thick. Add the torn basil leaves and stir through. Set aside.

To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter over low heat until foaming then add the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. When thick, simmer for 2 minutes. Season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Lightly oil a lasagne pan and start with a little of the tomato sauce spread over the bottom. Lay the lasagne sheets on top. Next pop the roasted pumpkin in one layer and top with more lasagne sheets. Then the tomato sauce with a sprinkling and mozzarella and parmesan then the lasagna again. Continue, in this order with the layers, finishing with béchamel, top with the parmesan and mozzarella and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Leave for 10 minutes before cutting and serve with a well dressed green salad.



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