I have somewhat of a hoarding problem. No, I'm not like the people you see on TV, who are buried in mountains upon mountains of stuff, their addiction alienating friends and family. My hoarding problem involves pumpkin puree. Lots and lots of pumpkin puree. Really. The proof is in the cupboard.
Come every fall, I get wind of some type of pumpkin shortage. Whether this shortage is real, simply a rumor, or caused by crazies such as myself (which I imagine must be the case at least sometimes), I buy a few cans to "stock up" every single time I go to the grocery store.
And no matter how many cans of pumpkin I accumulate, I am still extremely particular about the recipes in which I choose to use my precious stock. I actually have a couple rules regarding it. Rule number one: whatever I make, I don't share it. I usually love sharing the fruits of my baking labor with friends, family, and co-workers. It's better for my waist-line, gives me those "warm fuzzies," and let's face it, all the compliments and "mmmmm's" don't exactly hurt my ego. However, that's not the case with any pumpkin goodies. In the rare occasion that we have some left over after a day or two, they go in the freezer to be enjoyed by H and I at a later date. Selfish, selfish, I know.
Rule number two: I'm very unadventurous in my pumpkin recipes. I usually love trying new recipes and ingredients, but pumpkin recipes have to be for something that I'm absolutely certain that I'll enjoy. God forbid I use up a can of pumpkin puree in something that doesn't turn out well.
So there you have it. Call me crazy, blame me for the pumpkin shortage at your local grocery store, or what have you. But all this does have a point... Last week, I was gazing at all the drool-worthy food porn on foodgawker.com, and I stumbled upon this recipe for pumpkin lasagna. It looked... delicious. But I hesitated in saving it, as it didn't follow the rules. I've only had savory pumpkin dishes a handful of times, and only in restaurants. I've never actually attempted one. But something about it... just drew me in. I decided to bite the bullet and add it to this week's menu.
(Edited: With all the waxing poetic about my love of pumpkin, I completely forgot to mention how this turned out! It was good, and I was really glad to be able to step out of my comfort zone a bit! A piece of advice- don't skimp on the salt. I did, because I am trying to cut back on sodium and I don't really like things too salty, but the salt definitely brought out a good flavor.)
Pumpkin Lasagna
9 lasagna noodles, either the no-boil kind, or the regular ones prepared according to package directions and left submerged in cold water
16 oz. sliced mushrooms, chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup of half and half
1 1/2 teaspoons of dried sage
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese
1 egg
4 oz. of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
Saute mushrooms and onion in olive oil, with a dash of salt and pepper. Allow them to simmer until soft, and then drain of excess liquid. Meanwhile, combine pumpkin puree, half and half, sage, and another dash of salt and pepper into a large bowl. Into a third bowl, mix ricotta cheese and egg and beat until combined.
Lightly spray cooking spray on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Start with the pumpkin mixture and spread about 1/2 cups worth on the bottom of the pan, enough to lightly cover. Layer pasta next, then ricotta cheese mixture, then a couple scoops of the mushrooms and onions. Top again with pumpkin, and continue to layer until you run out of ingredients. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese all over the top.
Cover with foil, then place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes. Remove cover, and bake for 10-15 minutes more, until the cheese is starting to get golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Adapted from Prevention RD, original recipe here.
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