I posted a recipe for a skillet lasagne last year but this one is quite different, it’s more saucy with very different flavours but the same thrown together easy cheats lasagne appeal. This isn’t really lasagne. It just uses the same sheets and includes a sort of bechamel and the concept of layers. However the layers in this are far more free form and relaxed and way quicker!

It’s also mostly made on the stove top and just finished in the oven at the end.  You know I like to make dishes a little quicker and with less effort and this certainly is way less effort than my more traditional layered vegetarian lasagne. There’s no ragu, the filling is instead made up of butternut pumpkin that’s been lightly steamed then pan fried with garlic, thyme and spinach until soft.

There is a bechamel of sorts but it’s a lightened up version made with extra virgin olive oil instead of butter and a mixture of milk and stock. The stock also adds extra flavour to the finished dish, which is a great bonus. I’ve used an aged cheddar for maximum flavour with less cheese. Spending more on better quality, more sharply flavoured cheese is a smart move as you need less for that cheese flavour hit you’re after. You could potentially make this vegan by using a couple of Tbs of nutritional yeast in place of the cheese and a plant milk like soy, rice or almond.

All the flavours in this ‘lasagne’ are so delicious and it’s the basil vinaigrette drizzled over at the end that really brings it together. It’s fresh and light and cuts through the more autumnal pumpkin and thyme flavours. There’s also those beautiful crispy lasagne like edges and golden bubbling sauce on top. Heaven.

Oh and did i mention how your house will smell? The thyme, garlic and pumpkin cooking in the pan fill the house with the most delicious aroma. It’s actually mouthwatering as it wafts through. Ok, enough, recipe time:

Serves 4 (generously) 6 with a side salad!

Ingredients

1/2 butternut pumpkin

500g dried lasagne sheets

1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1 Tbs thyme

6 cups baby spinach

Sauce

3 Tbs flour

3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 cup whole milk

1 3/4 cup vegetable stock, hot

Pinch of nutmeg

1 cup aged cheddar

Vinaigrette

2 cups basil leaves

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup spring onion

juice and zest of lemon

1/2 birds eye chilli

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. on fan forced.

Put a large pot of water over high heat and place a steamer basket on top. Bring to a boil and while it is coming to the boil steam the pumpkin slices. Once simmering continue to steam for 10 minutes. Remove the steamer basket and cook your pasta until a little harder than al dente. Drain and set aside. When cool enough to handle cut the lasagne sheets in half lengthways.

Make the sauce by whisking the oil and flour in the base of a small pot for a few minutes until it begins to dry out a little. Add the stock and milk to this slowly, whisking until smooth and combined. Add nutmeg and bring to a simmer to thicken. It should coat the back of a spoon. Add the cheese and once melted remove from the heat.

Trim the pumpkin skin from the slices and roughly chop to bite sized pieces. Add oil, garlic, thyme and pumpkin to a large skillet pan and sautee the pumpkin for a few minutes until coated in the thyme and garlic. Add 1/3 cup water to the pan and alow to cook over low heat until the pumpkin is very soft (should be able to cut into the pieces using a wooden spoon).

Add the spinach to the pumpkin and stir until wilted, add the drained pasta and all but 2/3 cup of the sauce. While still on the heat, tir to combine and fold the pumpkin, spinach and sauce through the ribbons of pasta. Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta, clean any sauce from the edges of the pan and cook in your preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden on top.

Meanwhile, make the basil vinaigrette by combining all the ingredients excluding the oil in a blender, magic bullet or mini food processor. Blitz, then add the oil and blitz briefly again.

To serve, drizzle the vinaigrette over the lasagne and scatter with basil leaves. You can serve extra vinaigrette on the side.

HH. x