Nutmeg Pumpkin Lasagne

• nutmeg pumpkin↗1 medium 1 medium

  peeled, seeded, cubed 2 cm (prepared weight 1.2 kg)

• garlic cloves↗3 3

  unpeeled

• sage leaveshandful of handful of
• olive oil↗1 tbsp 1 tbsp

  plus a little extra

• spinach↗600g fresh 600g fresh
• lasagne sheets↗12-15 12-15
• mozzarella↗125g ball 125g ball

  torn or cut into small pieces

• pine nuts↗40g 40g
• butter↗70g 70g
• flour↗70g 70g
• semi‑skimmed milk↗800ml 800ml
• mascarpone↗250g 250g
• parmesan↗50g 50g

  (or vegetarian alternative), grated

• nutmeg↗grating of grating of

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6. Transfer the pumpkin and garlic to a large roasting tray (you can use the same one you’ll assemble the lasagne in to save washing – ours was 35 × 40 cm and 5 cm deep). Add 4‑5 sage leaves, drizzle with oil and season well, then toss so everything is coated. Roast for 40‑50 min, stirring once or twice, until the pumpkin is soft and caramelised. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and mash it with the pumpkin, leaving a few larger pieces for texture.

2. 2

   Meanwhile make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the flour, stirring until a sandy paste forms. Gradually pour in a little semi‑skimmed milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue adding milk in stages until the mixture becomes smooth, creamy and all the milk is used. Simmer for another minute. Add the mascarpone and half the parmesan. Season well and grate a generous amount of nutmeg.

3. 3

   Transfer the spinach to a colander and pour boiling water over it (in batches) to wilt. When cool enough to handle, press the spinach in the colander to remove water, then season and coarsely chop.

4. 4

   Remove half of the mashed garlic‑pumpkin from the tray and set aside on a plate. Spread the remaining pumpkin on the bottom of the baking dish you’ll serve the lasagne in. Pour about a quarter of the sauce, then lay a layer of lasagne sheets, breaking them to fill gaps. Evenly spread a layer of spinach over the pasta, then another quarter of the sauce, more sheets, pumpkin, sauce, sheets and finally the remaining white sauce.

5. 5

   Sprinkle the remaining parmesan, mozzarella and pine nuts. If the oven is off, preheat it to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6 and bake the lasagne for 30 min. Brush 5‑6 sage leaves with a little oil, lay them on top of the lasagne and return to the oven for another 15‑20 min, until golden and bubbling. Let cool for 5 min before serving.