Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Mmmm...pumpkin lasagna!

I have made every attempt at trying to cook Fall into our home and it does seem to finally be cooling down a bit.  Yay!  Also yesterday's post about a sort of earthy space,  made me crave a dinner to match.  A few weeks back when Michelle of Studio Surface organized a recipe exchange, I had planned to make this pumpkin lasagna...one of my favorite dishes my aunt makes.  However, my husband had a jambalaya craving, so we went with that, but this time, my craving won.  Yum!...pumpkin lasagna it is!!  My aunt was wonderful enough to send me the recipe which she has adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates : Festive Meals for Holidays and Special Occasions.  It is a little time-consuming, but is so incredibly worth it!  I am so glad we made a huge pan of it because we have meals for the next few nights.  Here is my aunt Trish's recipe for pumpkin lasagna:

Ingredients
4 cups chopped onions
1 T olive oil
6 cups chopped mushrooms (I use a combination of portabella and white)
1/4 c fresh sage leaves
1 t salt
1 c Marsala
2 eggs, lightly beaten
29 oz can pumpkin puree
ground black pepper
3/4 pound lasagna noodles, uncooked
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1 1/2 c crumbled ricotta salata
3 c ricotta cheese
1/2 c Parmigiana Reggiano


1.  First we gathered all of the ingredients, then chopped the sage, mushrooms and onions, and then crumbled the ricotta salata.
2.  Saute onions in olive oil until caramelized.
3.  Add mushrooms and cook until liquid is just about gone.
4.  Add sage, salt and Marsala and simmer for 5 minutes.  Set aside.
5.  In a bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin, ricotta cheese, pepper, and nutmeg.  Set aside.

6.  Dip about 1/2 c of liquid from sauteed mushrooms and pour into and oiled 9 X 13 baking dish.
7.  Cover bottom layer with noodles arranged close together.  8.  Evenly spread on 1/2 the pumpkin mixture.  9.  Spoon about 1/3 of the sauteed mushrooms.  10.  Sprinkle with 1/2 of ricotta salata.  Then repeat...Add second layer of noodles, the remaining pumpkin mixture, another 1/3 of the mushrooms, and 1/2 c ricotta salata.
11.   Finish with a third layer of noodles completely moistened by the last third of the mushrooms.  Sprinkle on the last 1/2 c ricotta salata and top with grated Parmigiana Reggiano.
12.  Cover and bake at 375 for 50 minutes.  Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes, until lasagna is bubbly and noodles are tender.  Sometimes I broil the top if it's not brown enough.
13.  Let stand for ten minutes before cutting.
This is how we roll when we are tired and don't feel like making a salad.  :)  Just a massive piece on a plate and an Abita Pecan Harvest Ale...perfection.  [We also had a random storm right as it came out of the oven, so the house was darker than normal and I couldn't get the lighting right for the pictures.]
This meal is honestly so worth the time it takes to prepare.  ...and just in case you hadn't noticed, it is a vegetarian meal...perfect, since it is Vegetarian Awareness month!  :)  Let me know if you try it!!


9 comments:

Danielle (elleinadspir) said...

This looks amazing. I wish I stood half a chance of my hubs trying it...but he's anti-pumpkin. Grrrrr.

Sarah @ Designmarc said...

That looks so good!! Unfortunately for me, my husband is like Danielle's! :/ He is also anti-pumpkin.

Ana Degenaar said...

Oh goodness! You just made my day! I need to make this tonight... I love it so much I just texted my husband: "babe buy a pumpkin, you'll thank me later.."
Yum!
Thanks!

torrie said...

I cannot wait to make this!!!!!!!!!

I love pumpkin dishes during the fall, and a plus that it's vegetarian! I made a vegetarian meal last night and didn't miss the meat ONE bit. Our house was incredibly dark as well- and it drove me crazy trying to get decent pics... so I know what you mean:).

I'll let you know when I make this... SOON!!

Suzanne Anas Jurich said...

Oh no!! Sorry about the pumpkin-hating husbands!! :) I know it's not the same, but my husband is a major meat man. I never in a million years would think he would have eaten this, but we went home to visit a few years ago and had this at my aunt and uncle's house and he ate it (not that he had a choice) and loved it.

Yay Ana and Torrie!!...I hope you love it as much as we do!!

Also, it isn't as orange as the photos make it seem. I need a new camera! :)

Unknown said...

I am so making this Suzie! I love anything pumpkin. And when I make it my husband will eat it or he'll starve. :)

Seriously though, it looks fantastic and I can't see how it wouldn't be a success. I will let you know how it goes!

Suzanne Anas Jurich said...

ahaha That's the right attitude!! Love it!! :)

Adri said...

I'm not one to comment on blogs much, but I want to let you know that this has been my "go to" recipe every fall since 2012 for a hearty pumpkin dish. My husband LOVES it, I LOVE it, and everyone that I've shared it with has LOVED it. I usually will make two lasagnas at a time & we'll freeze pieces so that we have enough for a few weeks. We eat all the pumpkin lasagna we can handle for a few months, burn ourselves out, and by the time October rolls back around the next year, we're ready for more! I've also substituted the Marsala with a few other wines & this last time I used Madtree Amber beer (it's really spiced & yummy) and it changes up the flavors a bit so it's a little different every time but still delicious!! Thanks for sharing this awesome dish with the world. ~The Keene family~

Suzanne Anas Jurich said...

Glad you like it!! I have my aunt to thank for sharing the recipe…and the Moosewood Collective for creating it! :) Thanks for your comment! I haven't blogged for several years now, so your note was a nice surprise and a reminder that I haven't made that dish in quite a while! :) Happy Fall!