Pumpkin and Ricotta Lasagna

All Saints’ Day, Halloween, pumpkins and chestnuts… Autumn is a season that can feel gloomy when it’s rainy. This year, thankfully, we’re having a beautiful autumn — sunny days and golden leaves outside. Swiss shops are overflowing with pumpkins in every shape, size, and color.

Pumpkin is extremely popular in French cuisine, and today I’m sharing a baked version. This dish is absolutely delicious, with a complex combination of flavors. The ingredients below are for a small dish — about half the size of a traditional lasagna pan (28 x 17 cm). If you want to make a full-size lasagna, simply double the quantities.

Ingredients (serves 3–4)

• 400 g pumpkin, peeled and deseeded

• 400 g ricotta cheese

• 50 ml sour cream or crème fraîche

• 100 g canned chopped tomatoes*

• 350 g canned chopped tomatoes*

• 350 g zucchini

• 125 g mozzarella

• 15 g chives, chopped (about one large bunch)

• 15 g fresh basil leaves, chopped (I used almost a whole potted plant)

• 20 g grated Parmesan (or Grana Padano)

• About 9 dry lasagna sheets (no pre-cooking required)

• 1 small shallot or other onion

• 1–2 garlic cloves

• Olive oil

• Salt, pepper

*I’ve deliberately given two different quantities of canned tomatoes, as they will be used in two separate layers.

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC (top and bottom heat).

2. Slice the pumpkin into 2–3 mm thin slices. Arrange on a baking tray, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. The pieces can overlap. Bake for 15–18 minutes.

3. In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, chives, half of the basil, and the chopped shallot or onion. Add the sour cream and 100 g of canned tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.

4. Crush or finely chop the garlic and add it to the remaining basil and 350 g of canned tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and mix.

5. Slice the zucchini lengthwise into very thin slices — a vegetable peeler works best.

6. Line the bottom of a baking dish with lasagna sheets, breaking them if necessary to fit. Assemble the lasagna as follows:

   • Lasagna sheets

   • Half the ricotta mixture

   • Half the pumpkin slices

   • Half the zucchini

   • 1/3 of the tomato mixture

   • Lasagna sheets

   • Remaining ricotta mixture

   • Remaining pumpkin

   • Remaining zucchini

   • 1/3 of the tomato mixture

   • Lasagna sheets

   • Remaining tomato mixture

   • Mozzarella slices

7. Drizzle the top with olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil (avoid touching the cheese). Bake at 180ºC for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes, until the cheese is lightly golden.