Spinach, Ricotta And Pumpkin Lasagna - cooking recipe

Ingredients
    1 pound peeled and seeded pumpkin, cut into pieces
    1 tablespoon butter, softened
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
    2 tablespoons butter
    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1 cup milk
    2 bay leaves
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 onion, thinly sliced
    1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    1 (10 ounce) bag baby spinach
    1 (16 ounce) container low-fat ricotta cheese
    1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1/2 pound lean ground beef
    2 tablespoons tomato paste
    1 (14.25 ounce) can tomato puree
    12 dry lasagna noodles
    1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation
    Fill a saucepan with 1/2 inch of water, then add pumpkin pieces. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and steam until the pumpkin is very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain pumpkin, then mash with 1 tablespoon butter, cinnamon; salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.
    Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste just begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk gradually so that no lumps form. Bring to a gentle boil. Add the bay leaves, and reduce heat to low or warm. Allow to gently cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove from heat.
    Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, fennel, and garlic; cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Scrape mixture into a large bowl, and mix well with ricotta cheese and nutmeg.
    Using the same skillet, heat another 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Brown ground beef in oil, mixing thoroughly to break into small pieces. Once browned, reduce heat to medium-low and pour off excess grease. Stir in tomato paste and tomato puree. Gently simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch lasagna dish.
    Line the bottom of the lasagna dish with 4 noodles, do not overlap. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over noodles, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Place another 4 noodles on top of the ricotta, then spread with evenly with the mashed pumpkin. Place the remaining 4 noodles on top of the pumpkin and top with the tomato sauce; sprinkle with another 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Stir the white sauce until smooth, then discard the bay leaves; pour the sauce over top of the lasagna. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
    Place lasagna dish onto a foil-lined baking sheet (to catch any spills). Bake in preheated oven until the noodles have softened, and the white sauce has turned bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Leave a comment