Pumpkin, Leek and Sage Lasagne

Total time: 60 minutes
     Pumpkin is not just for pies. It's a wonderful vegetable, and works well in a lot of savory dishes.  I use moist, deli ham in this lasagne.  I love the combination of ham, sage and winter squash.  You can leave the ham out for a vegetarian version.  The recipe was designed for using no-cook noodles.

 Ingredients:

• 1 onion, 145gr, 5.2oz
• 2 leeks, 160gr, 5.6oz
• 1 tsp olive oil, 4.5gr, .16oz
• 1 tsp butter, 5gr, .18oz
• 1 cup pumpkin,  any extra can be frozen, 245gr, 8.6oz
• 15 - 20 fresh sage leaves,  substitute 2 tbs dried
• 8oz (250gr) baked ham, or equivalent, 230gr, 8.1oz
• 1 tsp butter, 5gr, .18oz
• 1 cup shredded cheese, Swiss, Gruyère, 120gr, 4.2oz
• Béchamel
• 3 tbs butter, 42.6gr, 1.5oz
• 1/4 cup flour, 40gr, 1.4oz
• pinch of nutmeg
• 2 cups milk, 480gr, 17oz
• 9 - 10 sheets 'no-cook' lasagna noodles, 153gr, 5.4oz, 9 noodles
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 25gr, .89oz 

 Instructions:

• Thinly slice the onion and leeks. 
• Heat oil and butter in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add onions, leeks and sauté, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Cover the pan, reduce heat to medium low and let the onions and leeks cook for 10 minutes.
• Uncover, increase heat to medium and continue to cook until onions are golden and tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the pumpkin and stir well to combine and heat through.
• Cut the ham into thin strips, then the strips into smaller squares.
• In another skillet heat 1 tsp butter.  Add sage leaves and sauté until starting to get crisp. 
• Add ham and sauté until heated through and dry (it can give off a bit of water).
• In a medium saucepan heat 3 tbs butter over low heat.  Add flour, nutmeg and stir with a whisk for 1 minute.
• Add a little (1/4 cup) of the milk and whisk to combine.
• Turn heat up to medium and keep adding milk, a little at a time and whisking.  You should have added all of the milk in a minute or 2.
• When all of the milk is in, bring to a boil (should almost be there), whisking.  Then remove from heat.  Congratulations!  You have just made a béchamel sauce!
• To assemble:  in a 9 - 10" (22 - 25cm) square baking dish (or so) make the following layers:
• /3 béchamel sauce
• 2 noodles,  you may have to break a third one up to get good coverage 
• 1/2 onion, leek, pumpkin mixture
• 2 noodles  or so
• 1/3 béchamel sauce
• all of the ham and sage
• 1/2 of the shredded cheese
• 2 noodles  or so
• 1/2 onion, leek, pumpkin mixture
• 2 noodles  or so
• 1/3 béchamel sauce
• 1/2 of the shredded cheese
• Parmesan
• Cover and bake 425F (215C) for 20 minutes, or until noodles are done.  Test in center with a sharp knife. 
• Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer to brown cheese. 
• Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.  Cut into squares (or oblongs) and serve.

Note:  This serves 4.

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Nutrition Information               Recipe serves 4            Entire Recipe / per serving Calories:   2594 / 648.5 Total Carbohydrates:   228 / 57           Dietary Fiber:   22 / 5.5 Total Fat:   130 / 32.5          Saturated Fat:   65 / 16 Cholesterol:   586 / 146.5 Protein:   133 / 33.5 Calcium:   2313 / 578 Sodium:    4973 / 1243.5

General Technical Details and Disclaimer:

Measurements are actual measurements used for calculation. If there are no values the nutritional numbers were simply too small.

I try to be accurate, but I do not guarantee it.  I use 'grams' as the unit of weight; with an approximate conversion to ounces.

My information comes from my own digital, computerized scale and the USDA Nutrient Data Library: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/