Roast Pumpkin Lasagna with Pesto
1 butternut pumpkin, diced
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch silverbeet, washed and finely sliced
700ml bottle passata (Mutti works well)
900ml litre milk, full cream works well
60g butter
60g plain flour
1 packet lasagne noodles
salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated cheese, parmesan or mix of cheddar and parmesan works well
pesto *
preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
place pumpkin on a baking tray, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle a splash of olive oil over the pumpkin, bake for 30 minutes or until soft and slightly caramelised.
add 1 tbs olive oil to a large frying pan.
add garlic and onion and cook for a few minutes until soft.
add silverbeet and cook until wilted, about 10 minutes.
melt butter in a saucepan, add flour and cook for a few minutes.
add milk in small amounts at a time, whisking constantly, bring to a strong simmer and simmer for 5 minutes or until thick, make sure you stir or whisk constantly.
add cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper, put aside until needed
assemble the lasagne in a square baking dish in the following order -
1/3 of the tomato passatta,
layer of lasagne noodles,
1/3 of the pumpkin,
1/3 of the spinach,
1/3 of the white sauce,
1/3 of the tomato passatta,
layer of lasagne noodles,
1/3 of the pumpkin, , 1
/3 of the spinach,
1/3 of the white sauce,
continue until all ingredients have been used, finish with a layer of white sauce, marble the sauce with tomato sauce, add cheese.
place baking dish in the over and bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until lasagne noodles are cooked and cheese melted and browned.
this works served with pesto on the side and a salad with vinegar and olive oil dressing and sourdough bread
* pesto - 1 bunch pesto, leaves remove and washed, 1/2 clove garlic, 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted, 1/3 cup olive oil.
place all ingredients except the oil in a food processor and process until a smooth paste, gradually add oil through the feeder tube and continue to process for a minute or 2. place in an airtight contatiner until needed. serve at room temperature.