Thursday, April 7, 2011

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Lasagna

I am obsessed with pumpkin.  I also absolutely love goat cheese.  So when I saw a recipe that combined the two, and put them in a creamy lasagna, I knew I had to try it.  Overall, this was a really great dish.  I think it could have used a bit in terms of seasoning, but that's definitely easy to remedy!

Recipe: Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Lasagna (from One Perfect Bite)
Ingredients:
1 lb dried lasagna noodles

Bechamel Sauce:
1/2 stick unsalted butter (4 tbsp)
4 tbsp flour
3 cups whole milk
2 tbsp fresh creamy goat cheese
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly grated nutmeg

Filling:
1 can (29 oz) pumpkin puree
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp minced fresh sage (I didn't use)
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup bread crumbs (the recipe said to use unseasoned, but I used seasoned and liked the flavor it added)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp goat cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup brown sugar (I think I would use less next time)
1 tbsp salt (I didn't use the full tbsp)
Freshly ground pepper

For assembly:
1/2 cup bread crumbs (again, I used seasoned)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 deg F.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Boil noodles until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.  Rinse in cold water, and then lay out in a single layer.

Meanwhile, to prepare sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat; sprinkle in flour, stirring continuously with a wire whisk.  Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes.  Whisk in milk slowly, then add goat cheese, salt and pinch of nutmeg.  Heat to a simmer; cook, whisking often, until thick and creamy, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare filling, combine pumpkin, thyme, sage, nutmeg, bread crumbs, goat cheese, parmesan, brown sugar, and s&p to taste in a large mixing bowl.

To assemble lasagna, spread 1/3 of pumpkin mixture on bottom of lightly greased 9x13 pan.  Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, placed lengthwise side by side, overlapping edges.  Spread another 1/3 of filling over noodles; top with 3/4 cup of bechamel sauce.  Top with another layer of noodles, remaining filling, and another 3/4 cup of bechamel sauce.  Cover with a final layer of noodles and remaining bechamel sauce.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs and parmesan.
Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray, and place it sprayed side down over the lasagna, folding the edges down.

Bake until heated through and bubbling, about 50 minutes.  Remove foil, bake until topping is golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Remove pan from oven, cool 10 minutes, and enjoy!

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