I have been away from my website for too long but with everything happening I needed a minute to adapt and heal. I am super excited to share with you this beautiful recipe that inaugurates fall season which I adore.
Creamy and sweet pumpkin puree layered with earthy mushrooms, smooth silky white sauce and parmigiano…heaven!! I am using dried porcini in this recipe but if you are lucky to have fresh ones by all means do!!! Absolutely addictive…let me know if you give it a try!!
Recipe is for 6
Ingredients:
- For the pumpkin:
- 250 gr of pumpkin chopped into cubes (Important: make sure to weigh the pumpkin after peeling it)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A generous pinch of grated nutmeg
- Good quality olive oil
- For the mushroom:
- 500 gr regular button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1/2 cup of dried porcini
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 2 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
- Few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 50 gr of butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the white sauce:
- 80 gr butter
- 3 heaped tablespoons of flour
- 1 L of milk at room temperature
- Salt to taste
- A pinch of grated nutmeg
- To Assemble:
- 500 gr ready to use lasagna sheets
- 1 1/2 cups of grated parmigiano
Method:
- For the pumpkin:
- Place the pumpkin cubes on a baking tray. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and drizzle with olive oil.
- Place in a preheated oven on 200 degrees and let it cook for about 30 minutes or until tender.
- Place in a food processor and mix till you have a smooth puree.
- For the Mushrooms:
- Place the dried porcini in a bowl, cover with boiling water and set aside.
- Heat a frying pan on medium high heat, add the sliced button mushrooms and let cook till fragrant and slightly browned.
- lower the heat and add the butter, garlic, thyme and mix to incorporate everything.
- Take the porcini out of the soaking water (don’t throw away the liquid), squeeze, roughly chop and add them to the frying pan.
- Add 1 cup of the porcini soaking liquid as this will deepen the flavor even more.
- Cook for 5 more minutes and turn off the heat.
- For the White Sauce:
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan on medium heat and add the flour. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Start adding the milk a cup at a time whisking well between each addition.
- When all the milk is used, turn down the heat, season with salt and nutmeg and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes always whisking gently.
- Assemble:
- In a deep baking dish start by spreading a ladle full of white sauce.
- Arrange lasagna sheets.
- Cover with white sauce again.
- Spread a layer of the pumpkin puree.
- Add 1/3 of the mushroom and sprinkle with parmigiano.
- Repeat layers 3 times
- End with white sauce and generously sprinkle parmigiano on top.
- Bake in preheated oven on 200 till bubbly and golden brown.
Buon Appetito!!!