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One Last Round

November 24, 2009 · 33 Comments

Pumpkin and sausage lasagna-Duo Dishes

For a while, there were a lot of pumpkins bouncing around this blog. Usually the most frequent bright orange ingredient you’ll find here is a sweet potato, but it is pumpkin season, and we’ve been using the big fruit a lot. This may be one of, if not the final, pumpkin recipe you’ll see here until the need to overdose on pumpkin returns. Although it can be applied to recipes in a great way, there comes a time when you have to say ‘No more!’ Maybe you haven’t boarded the train to See You Laterville yet, but we may just be ready to bid adieu to pumpkin after this.
This recipe was inspired by the pumpkin mascarpone dip we made for Amir’s birthday dinner. It was smooth, creamy and rich–perfect to layer in between sheets of pasta. The sausage adds a noticeable spicy and obviously meaty level to a dish that is full of vegetables and lots of cheese. The best part may just be the bites of sage that mesh well with just about everything. One of our friends had a couple of servings, and she really loved the way sweet and savory do a sexy tango in this dish!

Pumpkin and Sausage Lasagna – Serves 8 to 10
1 pound lasagna noodles, cooked
16 ounces mascarpone cheese
3 cups pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 links spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
1 small red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
12-14 fresh sage leaves, chopped
5 cups fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
3 cups mozzarella, shredded
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn
Olive oil

1. Using an electric mixer, beat mascarpone cheese, pumpkin puree, honey, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and salt until smooth. Set aside.

2. Swirl a bit of olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. When oil is hot enough, add garlic and onions, tossing until coated. Slide in sausage and mushrooms and cook down until sausage has browned fully, approximately 10-12 minutes. Break up sausage as it cooks. Remove from heat and stir in sage. Set aside.

3. Spread a thin layer of olive oil over the bottom and sides of a deep 9″x13″ baking dish. Add about 1/4 cup of pumpkin mascarpone spread to the bottom of the dish and spread evenly to both sides. Top with three lasagna noodles, followed by another layer of mascarpone spread, a handful of spinach, a bit of the sausage and vegetables and a handful of shredded mozzarella. Repeat until all of the ingredients have been used.

4. Top the final layer with the fresh mozzarella pieces and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees. Uncover and bake another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Click HERE for printable recipe.

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Categories: Main Dishes · Pasta · Pork · Veggies
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