Pumpkin, Peppadew Pepper and Cheese Lasagne

Serves	4 to 6 servings
Prep time	20 minutes
Cook time	1 hour, 15 minutes
Total time	1 hour, 35 minutes
Allergy	Milk, Wheat
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Lunch, Main Dish
Misc	Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party, Christmas, Easter
Region	Italian
By author	Karen Burns-Booth

A delicious vegetarian lasagne that has roasted pumpkin, cheese and olives in it, as well as some Hot Peppadew™ Piquanté Peppers for a bit of a kick and a vibrant ruby-red colour. You can make this lasagne up to 8 hours ahead and then just pop it on the oven when you are ready to eat it.

Ingredients

450g to 500g pumpkin, cut into chunks (peeled and deseeded)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced finely
1/2 jar of Hot Peppadew™ Piquanté Peppers (cut in half)
75g chopped green olives
225g grated Cheddar cheese (Put aside half for the Bechamel sauce)
6 to 8 large sheets of fresh lasagne

Bechamel sauce

600mls whole fresh milk
50g plain flour
50g butter
salt and pepper

Note

Directions

Step 1	Toss the pumpkin in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and roast for 25 to 30 minutes in a pre-heated oven 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Roast until it is soft and has charred at the edges. Set to one side.
Step 2	Fry the onion and garlic in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft and transparent. Add the Peppadew peppers and sauté for a further minute. Add the roast pumpkin and chopped olives and stir well.
Step 3	Make the bechamel sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour - cook it over a low heat to make a roux and once is resembles sand or fine breadcrumbs, add the milk gradually whisking in-between to avoid lumps. Continue to add the milk, whisking well until you have a smooth white sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add half of the grated cheese, mix well to melt the cheese.
Step 4	Lightly oil a 22.5cm x 15cm gratin dish with a little olive oil and add start to layer the lasagne by placing the lasagne sheets in the dish, then add the pumpkin and Peppadew pepper mixture, a spoon of bechamel sauce and a scattering of cheese, before adding more lasgane sheets and continuing until all the mixture has been used, ending with a layer of vegetables and cheese. Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
Step 5	Pour the remaining bechamel sauce over the lasagne and scatter any remaining cheese over the top. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese topping is golden brown.
Step 6	Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with fresh green salad.