Winter is coming and there’s a chill in the air – which for me means that it’s time for lasagne again! As much as I love lasagne, it can often be too rich. This one however, might just be perfect! I made a super large batch of this, so used two sheets of lasagne per layer. If however, you make a smaller batch, you can halve the cheese sauce, and maybe use only six sheet of lasagne. Still use the same amount of pumpkin mixture though! Yum yum. As I was adapting this recipe, I might not have recorded it 100% correctly. I was using my instincts, and if you do the same you should be right.
Eric will be having wrist surgery on Thursday, and will need looking after for a while. I think that this lasagne might do just the trick.
Lentil and pumpkin lasagne
(adapted from an Australian Women’s Weekly recipe)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 red capsicum, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
450g pumpkin, chopped into 1cm cubes
400g tin brown lentils, drained
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 cup (250ml) vegetable stock
2 tablespoons dried mixed herbs
salt and pepper
250g ricotta cheese
250g sour cream
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
8 large sheets instant lasagne
Preheat oven to 200°C. In a large pan add the oil and cook the onion until softened. Add the pumpkin, garlic, and add water till it almost covers the pumpkin. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the pumpkin is soft. Stir in the zucchini and capsicum and cook for 5 minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes, stock, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until well combined and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 or 20 minutes.
Mix the ricotta and sour cream together with half the cheese. Season well. Place one-third of the lentil sauce in the base of an ovenproof dish. Arrange one lasagne sheet over the sauce. Top with a layer of the pumpkin mixture and a layer of the remaining cheese sauce. Continue layering with the remaining lasagne sheets, pumpkin mixture and cheese sauce, finishing with a layer of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
