Perfect Fall Fare: Caramelized Pumpkin & Sage Lasagna

Darlings!  One of the things I love most about pumpkin and squash are its versatility and certainly I've made enough dishes using them to attest to that.  I also love the shelf life of squash and pumpkin, it can sit in cold storage for months without any reduction in flavor or freshness when finally used.  Whenever I'm out of greens and fresh veggies, in the bottom of my refrigerator is usually a trusty pumpkin, patiently waiting to be cooked!

And like in posts past, La Diva found herself with a lovely red Kuri squash taking up WAY TOO MUCH SPACE in my crowded refrigerator and decided it was high time that I made something delicious with it.  The vegetable seems to make its way into my produce box every other delivery so I am ALWAYS looking for new ways to utilize it. 

A recent email from blogging buddy Mr. Peenee about a delightful pumpkin sage lasagna from a local San Francisco deli he frequented ignited my inspiration for this recipe. (Peenee's blog is always good to go to for a bit of snark and much-needed eye candy!)

Here's what La Diva did:

First off, put a large pot of water on to boil the lasagna noodles and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Wash pumpkin, cut in half, scoop out seeds and gook and cut into slices leaving the skin on but removing the tough stems. 

 Put slices on silicon lined baking tray and douse liberally with extra virgin olive oil and salt on both sides.  Cook for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.  (this is how the pumpkin gets caramelized when the natural sugars are released.) Turn over and continue cooking until fork tender and brown, about 15 minutes more.   Remove from oven and set aside.   Turn oven down to 375.

Make the ricotta cheese filling.  I used

• one large tub of ricotta (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Mix well and set aside.

Meanwhile, add the entire box of lasagna noodles to salted, boiling water and cook until just tender.  I usually go a minute under cooking time, remember it continues to cook in the oven.  (La Diva no likey mushy noodles!)  Strain and toss through butter or olive oil to prevent sticking.  Set aside.

Mozzarella:  It just so happened that La Diva went to the Farmer's Market looking for fresh goat cheese but alas, Hani, my favorite goat cheese maker, was not there.  So instead, I found some lovely and fresh bocconcini!  I bought two tubs.  When I got home, I drained the water off and roughly chopped it up, making about 2 cups.  (Darlings, of course you can use the shredded mozzarella from the store!  But if you get the chance to buy fresh, DO SO!)

Once the squash is cooked, put it into a food processor (leaving skin on) and add two tablespoons of sage.  Process until smooth and taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed.  As some squash can be quite starchy, I was concerned that the puree would be too dry once baked, so I added half of a cup of chicken broth to the puree for added moisture.  I had about two cups of pureed pumpkin.

Ooops!  I started making the layers and forgot to take photos!  I brushed a small amount of extra virgin olive oil on the bottom of a lasagna pan and added the first layer of noodles.  I cut one of the noodles into fourths and do a bit of patchwork so all layers have an entire layer of noodle reaching to the ends.

I then added a layer using half of the pumpkin and then half of the ricotta.  I then followed by a layer of noodles and then half of the chopped mozzarella.  I repeated the process.

Smooth the pumpkin puree over the noodles first.

Spread the rest of the ricotta mixture over the pumpkin.

The last layer will be noodles with the rest of the mozzarella with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated parmigiano cheese.  Dot butter around the top.  You should have four layers of noodle and will most likely have some left over.  DON'T THROW THEM OUT!  Cut 'em up into ribbons or squares and serve with tomato sauce like you would enjoy with any other pasta!

 MMmm......beautiful golden brown cheesy deliciousness, this more-ish lasagna is an inviting dish for a cool fall day.

Bake until golden brown on top and heated through completely, about 45 minutes.  Allow to set and cool for about 10 minutes and then serve.  You should have eight generous pieces.

I served this up with a simple mixed green salad topped with a lemon vinaigrette.  The citrus flavor really helps cut the richness of the dish!

 RESULT:  Hmmmm......very good, me thinks.  Very good indeed but yet....there were some things that I could definitely improve upon for next time.  For one, I found this recipe to be very cheese heavy, rich and just a tad greasy.  Now, I did send some to my vegetarian neighbor who said it was "just delicious."  And of course you know DJ Nevah L8 had no trouble downing two giant pieces.  But you know La Diva shows no mercy when creating a recipe.  It has to be perfect. 

While this recipe tasted just fine (and even better the next day!), I still think it had too much cheese for me, you know La Diva does not like rich food.  I think the next time I will use half of the mozzarella and instead create a bechamel sauce for the top.  Additionally, I thought I could definitely use another layer of pumpkin, the cheese kind of took over and a bit more sage would be appreciated as well.  I also think a sprinkling of crunchy pepitas would be divine!  Overall, the recipe was successful, but I'll certainly keep you posted with any modifications.

Delicious and filling for a cool autumn supper,  I guarantee your darlings will not miss the meat from a traditional lasagna!  Thanks for the inspiration Peenee!  (wish we were closer so I could bring some 'round! x)

For more cooking adventures, come to my cooking and cocktail class:  small bites, BIG DRINKS on Saturday, October 9 and October 23!  Click HERE for more info!

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