Pumpkin and Goat's Cheese Lasagne
Prep. Time:
45 mins
Baking Time:
1 hour
Total Time:
1 hour 45 mins
Serves:
Serves 12 - 15 (you might want to make half, or even one third as much!)
This recipe is the property of Nigella Lawson and the photograph was taken by Lis Parsons.
Ingredients
Instructions
PUMPKIN FILLING
Heat the oil and butter in a shallow casserole and fry the sage leaves over a gentle heat for about 2 minutes.
Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the pan and fry very gently for another 10 minutes or so.
Add the pumpkin pieces, turn well in the oniony oil and, after about 5 minutes, add the vermouth (or wine), 60ml/¼ cup of water and chopped tomatoes. Simmer, covered, for an hour, stirring occasionally so the pumpkin cooks evenly. Taste for seasoning — I tend to add quite a bit of salt here — and leave to cool.
TOMATO SAUCE
Simply pour the passata and 500ml/2 cups of water into a large jug or bowl, and stir in the sugar, salt and pepper, whisking it all together.
CHEESE LAYER
In a separate bowl beat the goat’s cheese and ricotta with the eggs, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400°F, slipping in a baking sheet as you do.
ASSEMBLY
To assemble the lasagne, begin by putting 500ml / 2 cups of the cold tomato sauce in the bottom of a roasting tin (measuring approx. 36cm x 26cm x 6cm / 14 x 10 x 2 1/2 inches).
Then layer with a third of the lasagne sheets, overlapping them well (Italians do it with the tin horizontal but the pasta vertical, if that makes sense, but I don't know that it truly matters...). Leave the rest of the tomato sauce aside for the time being.
Layer a third of the pumpkin filling over the lasagne, and dollop on a third of the cheese mixture, coaxing with a rubber spatula. It won't cover completely; think more of spreading blobs out. Then start again with a layer of lasagne, followed by pumpkin, then the cheese. Repeat once more — lasagne, pumpkin, and the last of the cheese mixture.
Pour the remaining cold tomato sauce over, letting it sink down and be absorbed in the layers.
Slice and chop the mozzarella balls and dot over the top.
Cook in the oven, on the baking sheet, for 1 hour. Once cooked, take out of the oven and let it stand for 15-30 minutes to make cutting and serving easier. (I love this when it's stood for an hour or so, too.) As you cut and slice, you will notice a shallow tomatoey cheesey pool at the bottom of the tin; bread dunked into this is gorgeous.
Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts over the lasagne, and cut into squares to serve.
