Provincial Vegetable Lasagna
This recipe was given to me by a friend in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as an award-winning lasagna recipe. When I made it in the States, my friend Libby re-named it the "Provincial Vegetable Lasagna," due to the unusual ingredient of pumpkin. If you can't get pumpkin, feel free to sub butternut squash. I recently made this for an Embassy cook-off and won a prize, despite the fact that you cannot buy lasagna noodle in Kazakhstan. I had to substitute 2 foot long noodles that are 3/4" wide, I had to use about 300 of them, but it got the job done. The prize - a glass replica of Kazakhstani parliament. Just what every little girl dreams of. - Jenn
Ingredients
  • 2C Peeled and Diced pumpkin
  • 1 Eggplant, sliced into 1/2" rounds
  • 5 Tomatoes
  • 1pt Ricotta Cheese
  • 9oz Crumbled Feta Cheese
  • 2/3C Pesto
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
  • 15 oz can Tomato Sauce
  • Lasagna Noodles
  • 1 1/2C Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1C Grated Percorino Cheese
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until browned and tender, about 30 mins.
  3. Meanwhile grill eggplant or fry in skillet, turning once, until charred and tender, 10-15 mins.
  4. Halve tomatoes and place on baking sheet in oven for the last 15 minutes of pumpkin time. Cook until tender and wrinkly.
  5. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, feta, pesto, & eggs.
  6. Salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Fold pumpkin into ricotta.
  8. Spoon half of tomato sauce into a 9x13 baking dish.
  9. Layer pasta, eggplant slices, then 1/2 of the ricotta mixture.
  10. Cover with pasta and arrange roasted tomatoes evenly over pasta and spoon remaining ricotta mixture over.
  11. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella.
  12. Top with pasta then remaining tomato sauce.
  13. Sprinkle with pecorino and remaining mozzarella.
  14. Bake in preheated oven 30-40 mins until bubbly.