Pumpkin Sage Lasagna W Fontina Food

PUMPKIN LOVERS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a few inches water to a boil in a large pot and add salt. Cook the escarole for 5 minutes, then drain.
• Cover the garlic cloves with water in a saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and let cool. Squish the garlic pulp from the jackets into a bowl and mash with a fork.
• Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sage and stir. Add the squash, stir and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. All the stock should be absorbed and the squash should be lightly browned and tender. Remove from the heat.
• Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in another medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and mashed garlic and season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Cook until slightly thickened (the sauce should just coat the back of the spoon evenly without breaking up on the spoon's surface).
• Whisk together the pumpkin puree, 2 eggs and some salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• In another bowl, whisk together the ricotta, half the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the remaining egg.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Soak the lasagna sheets in water for 5 minutes.
• Pour about half the garlic sauce into the bottom of a 9 by 11-inch baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna sheets and then half the pumpkin mixture. Make another layer of lasagna sheets and spread with all of the ricotta mixture, followed by the squash and then escarole. Top with half the Fontina, another layer of lasagna sheets, the remaining pumpkin and another layer of lasagna sheets. Finish with the remaining garlic sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano and Fontina.
• Bake the lasagna, covered, for 45 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and continue to bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes more. Let rest for 15 minutes, then cut and serve.

PUMPKIN LASAGNA ROLLS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles 1 minute longer than the package directions for al dente. The pasta should be tender enough to roll without cracking. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and whole sage leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, until sandy in consistency and lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk, pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 cup of the pumpkin, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is smooth and thickens to the consistency of gravy, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 2/3 cup of the Parmesan and cook, stirring, until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the sage leaves and discard; allow the sauce to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Beat the egg in a large bowl then stir in the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella, the remaining pumpkin, chopped sage, crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Brush a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with the olive oil. Spread 1 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of the dish.
• Lay half of the cooked lasagna noodles on a clean work surface and spread 2 heaping tablespoons of the ricotta mixture evenly over each. Starting with a short end, roll each noodle up and transfer to the prepared baking dish seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon the remaining sauce over the lasagna rolls and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan.
• Cover with foil and bake until the rolls are heated through and the sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is browned on top, 18 to 20 minutes. Garnish with the torn sage leaves, if using, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

VEGETABLE LASAGNA W/ FONTINA CHEESE & CREAMY PARMESAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 2 Tbs. butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
• Add onion; cook until soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Mix 1 1/2 Tbs. salt and 2 quarts very hot tap water in a 13-by-9-inch lasagna pan.
• Add noodles and soak until soft and pliable, 10 minutes.
• Drain and stack loosely. (Noodles tend to stick together as they dry, but pull apart easily.).
• Make Creamy Parmesan Sauce: Microwave milk, broth and garlic in a 1 quart microwave-safe container on high power until steaming hot, about 8 minutes. (Or slowly heat in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.)
• Fish out garlic; discard.
• Melt 2 1/2 Tbs. butter over medium heat in a large saucepan; when foaming subsides, whisk in flour and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until well blended.
• Pour in milk mixture all at once and whisk vigorously until sauce is smooth and starts to bubble and thicken.
• Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove from heat; place plastic wrap directly on the sauce's surface.
• Adjust rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Smear 1/4 cup of the sauce over bottom of baking dish.
• Assemble the next 4 layers in the following order: 3 noodles, 2/3 cup sauce, 1/4 of the onions, 1/2 of one of the cooked vegetables (alternating each layer), 1/2 cup fontina and 2 Tbs. Parmesan.
• Assemble final layer with remaining noodles, sauce and cheeses.
• Seal with foil and bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes.
• Remove foil, then broil until cheese is spotty brown, 5-7 minutes longer.
• Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.