As winter sets in, this creamy pumpkin dish offers the ultimate in seasonal comfort.
This is a fantastic vegetarian dish that can be frozen and thawed on the day you plan to eat it. The pumpkin is creamy, and the cottage cheese adds a delicate lightness.
PUMPKIN CANNELLONI
Serves 4
800g piece pumpkin, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small kumara, peeled and diced
1 tsp each of cumin, paprika and cardamom
¼ cup olive oil
200g cottage cheese
1 cup wilted spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
400g jar passata
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1 cup basil leaves
400g fresh lasagna sheets
1 cup grated mozzarella
- Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a large baking tray with paper.
- Arrange the pumpkin, garlic, kumara, cumin, paprika, and cardamom on the tray. Drizzle with oil and toss to combine. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until completely soft. Remove from the oven and mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the cottage cheese and spinach to the pumpkin, then stir.
- For the sauce, heat the oil in a medium pot and add the onion, cooking for a few minutes until softened. Then, stir in the passata, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and basil, and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes — season with salt and pepper.
- Cut the lasagna sheets into 10 x 10 cm squares for rolling the cannelloni. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture at one edge and roll it up. Transfer to a baking dish. Continue with the remaining sheets.
- Pour the sauce over, then sprinkle or dot the cheese on top. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling.
- Serve with a few extra basil leaves.
