Il Cucinologo
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Pumpkin and Mushroom Lasagne

17/11/2023

Here’s a tasty recipe for Italian-style pumpkin and mushroom lasagne.

Ingredients

  • 250 grams of egg lasagne (fresh or dried that require pre-cooking)
  • 500 grams of pumpkin, already cleaned
  • 300 grams of mixed mushrooms (porcini, button mushrooms, or whichever you prefer)
  • 250 grams of béchamel
  • 150 grams of smoked scamorza or mild provola
  • 50 grams of grated Parmesan
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Nutmeg (optional)
  • Butter for the baking dish
  • Aromatic herbs to taste (thyme, rosemary, sage,…)

Preparation

  1. Start by preparing the pumpkin: cut it into pieces and bake at 190 °C for about 20 minutes or until soft. You can also steam it or cook it in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a little water until it softens.

  2. Meanwhile, clean the mushrooms and slice or chop them. In a pan, sauté a clove of garlic in olive oil and then remove it. Add the mushrooms and let them cook until golden. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the aromatic herbs.

  3. Prepare the béchamel if you haven’t bought it ready-made. Melt some butter in a saucepan, add the flour and stir for a couple of minutes over medium heat. Gradually pour in the cold milk, continuing to stir to avoid lumps. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Bring the béchamel to a boil until it thickens.

  4. Mash the cooked pumpkin with a fork until you obtain a purée and mix it with a little béchamel to make it creamier.

  5. Slice the scamorza (or provola) thinly.

  6. Butter a baking dish and start assembling the lasagne with a first layer of béchamel, followed by lasagne sheets, pumpkin purée, mushrooms, some scamorza, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Continue until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel and a generous handful of Parmesan.

  7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-40 minutes, or until the surface of the lasagne is golden and crisp.

  8. Let the lasagne rest for 10 minutes out of the oven before serving, so they set and are easier to portion.

Note: Remember that if you use dried lasagne that require pre-cooking, you will need to boil them for a few minutes in salted boiling water before use.

Fun Facts

Pumpkin and mushroom lasagne is an autumnal dish rich in flavour. Pumpkin, in particular, is a very versatile vegetable that is used to great effect in Italian cuisine, not only for sweet dishes but also for savoury ones, like this recipe.