pumpkin sage white lasagna

Well, I guess it isn’t technically white because we aren’t working with the puree of an albino heirloom pumpkin, but you get the point.

Guys, it’s fucken November, and that means we’re plunging into serious yoga pants clothes sans the yoga part AND prep for Thanksgiving, which lies just a few short weeks ago. I’ve been hyped to share this Pumpkin Sage White Lasagna since I developed it about a month ago, and letting it grace the FMG homepage feels appropriate now that we’re in the final stretch to the holiday season.

Though still nearing 90 degrees and as a result putting me into a pissass mood, I won’t deny that seeing all the festive decor and attire in stores pulls me into a certain spirit I do not boast otherwise during the year. We’re hosting friendsgiving this weekend and I think that’ll really kick off the joy of this penultimate month of the year.

Clearly I had a good day today since I’m shooting optimism straight out my finger-ass, but hey, I’ll take it. Better than a lump grump Kellie thwomping around cyberspace, don’t you think?

I MADE LASAGNA: Part 2

This lasagna is just wonderful. Cozy, hinted with warming spices and pumpkin puree, loaded up with a creamy herb-infused bechamel and finished with crispy sage and rosemary garnishes. A perfect dish for large gatherings, since lasagna portions needn’t be huge and the amount should comfortably feed 10+ guests if you have a larger crowd swinging through your front door.

A few tips before we begin:

Buy no-boil lasagna noodles. Very important. This variety soaks up all the sauce we’re going to pour into the casserole dish and needs no pre-cooking. You can find a box anywhere, and they’re usually labeled quite clearly.

Smoked gouda is recommended, but you can buy regular gouda or, if that’s not accessible, fontina or low-moisture mozzarella. The aptly named smokiness is pretty incredible alongside pumpkin.

Don’t buy pumpkin pie filling. For the love of fuck, read the can and make sure you get pumpkin puree. Look for the fancy French word.

A 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with handles is very helpful. You can use a cake pan of the same size, but handles really helps prevent klutzy accidents. The type I’m prone to if I’m moving 1000mph.

Now that we’re armed with knowledge, let’s actually maKE SOME LASAGNA.

Bet on Bechamel

I chose a more traditional bechamel versus a cheesy one since I personally, while a cheese lover, didn’t think it necessary to add more lactose considering the large amount present already in the dish. You are welcome to throw in an extra cup of gouda into the sauce along with what’s called for in the recipe.

Bechamel is pretty simple. Start off by melting the butter and crisping some sage and rosemary in it, then pull those leaves out and stir in garlic and oregano. Whisk in flour until no longer lumpy, then slowly stream in a mix of milk and apple cider (or vegetable broth if you think that’s weird. It’s not, though, it simply accentuates the pumpkin later). Whisk the liquid as you pour. Once all that shit is added, bring the sauce to a boil and stir frequently until it thickens up. Finish with a big hit of fresh kale. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

You Fill Me Up

Measure out the pumpkin puree and – very important, fellas – blot it with paper towels. Pumpkin has a shocking amount of moisture. I like to line the bowl in which I intend to mix the filling with a paper towel, plop the pumpkin on it, then place another paper towel overtop to catch as much liquid as possible. I like to get this going before I start the bechamel.

When they’re nice and soggy, trash the paper towels. Mix the pumpkin with a small amount of cinnamon and nutmeg, ricotta, an egg (to bind the filling) and parmesan cheese.

Now the fun part: layering! I like to do 3 layers in my lasagna but you can do as many as you’re able/want. If you use a 9 x 9 inch baking dish, which you honestly can do if you’d like, you might get 4-5 layers.

Start with some of the bechamel. Place 3-4 lasagna sheets overtop (a bit of overlap is okay, but you don’t want to stack them). Spread some of the ricotta mixture, then sprinkle with gouda. Repeat this sequence until you’ve used all of the cheese sauce and ricotta filling. You probably won’t use the whole box of lasagna noodles, so don’t be annoyed if you have some left. Finish with a hefty handful of gouda on top of the whole shebang.

Cover up that baby with some foil and bake for awhile, then remove the foil and finish it up naked. The cheese will bubble up, turn golden in sports, and melt into a gooey mass of noodly excellence. Sometimes the filling might spill over the sides of the lasagna dish, so to prevent this I place the casserole dish on a baking pan before I start baking. Probably should’ve said that at the beginning of the paragraph. Ah well.

Let the lasagna sit on the countertop for 10 minutes of beauty rest, then slice it up and eat that shit.

So perfect for Thanksgiving. The best part is you can also prep this a few days ahead of time and throw it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Takes the headache out of the usual Thanksgiving day scramble, or if you know you’ll want lasagna during the week but might be kinda pressed for time. Sunday meal prep, maybe?

Be sure to serve with wine and some kind of salad – love me the shredded brussels sprout salad which, hint hint, will definitely be on the Thanksgiving menu this year. Lasagna is a great standalone dish so you don’t need to pile on the sides if you don’t want to. Especially since there’s kale in it. A built-in salad, if you will.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Pasta lovers unite!

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