Pumpkin, Kale and Sausage Lasagna
 
 
:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 pound bulk/ground Italian sausage
  • 3 cups diced sugar pumpkin (sugar pumpkin is a little firmer and has more flavor), about ¼ inch cubes
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large bunch kale, washed, drained, and chopped, hard stalks discarded (about 8 cups loosely packed)
  • 2 (24 oz) jars Barilla Tuscan Herb Sauce or other quality tomato/pasta sauce
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon ground sage
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 16 ounce container small curd cottage cheese
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • ¾ pound shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¾ pound shredded provolone cheese
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 12 Barilla lasagna noodles or other quality lasagna, prepared al dente according to package instructions
Instructions
  1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the ground sausage until about half of it is no longer pink. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the pumpkin and cook for another 7-8 minutes. Add the kale and cook 2 minutes until it's wilted.
  2. Add both jars of pasta sauce (see note), the fennel seeds, sage, salt, pepper, sugar, and pine nuts. Stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, egg, salt and parsley. Set aside.
  4. In a 9x13 inch casserole dish, spread 1½ cups of the sauce on the bottom. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread ⅓ of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with ⅓ of both mozzarella and provolone and ⅓ of the Parmesan. Repeat: Sauce, noodles, cottage cheese, shredded cheese and Parmesan, sauce, noodles, cottage cheese, sauce, shredded cheese and Parmesan.
  5. Spray aluminum foil with olive or vegetable oil and cover (oily side down) the casserole dish. Refrigerate overnight for maximum flavor to allow the flavors to meld. Remove from fridge 1 hour before baking.
  6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake, covered, for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown around the edges. Let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Most pasta sauces are already seasoned with a variety of Italian herbs, but we're including extra fennel and sage for added emphasis.
Recipe by The Daring Gourmet at https://www.daringgourmet.com/pumpkin-kale-sausage-lasagna/