Pumpkin and goat’s cheese lasagne

SERVES 10 PREP AND COOK TIME 2 HOURS 20 MINUTES (+ STANDING TIME)

2.5kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped coarsely

⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

4 medium leeks, sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, crushed

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1kg firm ricotta

3 egg yolks

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

1¼ cups (100g) finely grated vegetarian parmesan cheese

2 cups (500ml) pouring cream

½ cup finely chopped fresh sage

¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives

6 (300g) fresh lasagne sheets

150g soft goat’s cheese, crumbled

1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).

2 Line a large roasting pan with baking paper.

Place pumpkin in pan; drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season; cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes or until very tender. Cool. Working in batches, place pumpkin in a large sieve over a bowl; drain off excess liquid. Transfer pumpkin to a bowl; mash with a potato masher.

3 Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat; cook leek and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until soft. Add leek mixture to mashed pumpkin with nutmeg; season to taste. Stir to combine.

4 Process ricotta, egg yolks and rind, in batches, until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add 1 cup (80g) of the parmesan, the cream and herbs; stir to combine. Season.

5 Oil a 24cm x 30cm, 3.5-litre (14-cup), ovenproof dish. Place 2 lasagne sheets in base of dish, trimming to fit. Spoon over a third of the ricotta mixture; smooth the surface. Top with half the pumpkin mixture. Repeat layering, finishing with remaining third of ricotta mixture. (Lasagne will have three layers of pasta, three layers of ricotta mixture and two layers of pumpkin.) Sprinkle with goat’s cheese and remaining parmesan. Cover lasagne surface with baking paper; cover dish tightly with foil.

6 Bake lasagne for 50 minutes. Remove foil and paper; bake for a further 15 minutes or until golden and hot. Stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.