pumpkin + sausage + zucchini lasagna w apple crisp dessert

tonight we cooked up some late seasonal recipes, a lasagna with zucchini + pumpkin, and apple crisp with granny smith apples.  the entre was for sure an experimental lasagna dish that was discovered on the Food Network’s site.  eye catching was the twelve stars ‘Pumpkin Lasagna’ by Robret Irvine.  it was simple to prep, but did take a bit of time (around 30-45 min).  as we were preparing it, the various ingredients seemed random and quite silly…but it worked.

SO much to our surprise, it turned out a very delish and would definitely make it again.  NB somehow we ended up using a lot more cheese than required…cook time 1 hour

ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped

4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed

1 large zucchini, cubed

1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup red wine

Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and spices, to taste

1 pound ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded romano cheese

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

1 pound cooked lasagna noodles

directions
In a large heavy skillet, over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in the olive oil until translucent. Add sausage and cook until brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add zucchini and cook for 5 more minutes. Set aside.

In a medium pot combine tomato sauce and red wine and bring to a boil over medium-low heat.

Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste. If desired, add more spices to your liking. (I usually add dry oregano, basil, and parsley). Reduce heat to low, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl mixing together the ricotta, mozzarella and romano cheeses. Add eggs, pumpkin puree and salt and pepper, to taste. Mix very well. You might want to add more spices to the filling. (You can add a pinch of cinnamon and it gave it a different flavor.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Build your lasagna in a large (9 by 12-inch) baking dish starting with a layer of sauce, a layer of pasta, a layer of half the sausage and a layer of half the filling. Add another layer of pasta, sauce, the remaining sausage and the filling. Finish with a layer of pasta and a layer of sauce. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.