WINTER LASAGNE

Pasta, comforting winter veges combined with a creamy, cheesy sauce has got to be a winter winner?

Serves 4-8

Ingredients

Sauce

35 g plain flour

40 g butter

570 ml milk

1 bay leaf

Fresh nutmeg,

1 cup grated cheese, I use up all my bits in the fridge

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Filling

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp oil

1 leek, sliced thinly

½ onion, sliced thinly

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and roughly chopped

½ cabbage (savoy), thickly sliced

350g butternut squash, peeled and sliced

350g swede, peeled and cut into slices

70g fresh parmesan cheese, grated

300g fresh lasagne sheets

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C

Begin by making the sauce. Melt the butter in medium sized saucepan, add the flour and stir well to combine, cook out for a couple of minutes then slowly add the milk. Whisk if need be to remove any lumps if they occur, continue adding the milk until finished, stirring all the time. Remove the whisk now and lower the heat to a gently simmer, add the bay leaf and cook for at least 20 minutes, stirring as often as possible. Season lightly and add a few good gratings of nutmeg.

Now onto the vegetables.

Place a sheet of greaseproof paper onto a baking sheet, add the sliced pumpkin and swede, season lightly and drizzle with a little oil. Roast until tender (15 minutes). Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat a medium to large heavy based fry pan up over moderate heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil when melted add the leeks, onion, garlic and thyme. Cook without colouring until tender and sweet (5-8 minutes).

Add the cabbage and combine with the leek and onion mixture, add 1-2 tablespoon water so that the cabbage wilts a little. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To assemble: mix 2/3 of the sauce with the leek and cabbage mixture.

Lightly grease the base and sides of a deep oven dish (20x30cm).

Lay enough lasagne sheets neatly over the base, spoon over the leek sauce making sure you have enough for another 2 layers. Layer now with some of the roasted pumpkin and swede and continue with another 2 layers of pasta, sauce and roasted vegetables finishing with pasta. Spoon over the remainder white sauce and cover with grated parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-50 minutes depending on how many layers and depth of the dish. Test the centre of the lasagne with skewer or small knife. If you find it tough to get through then the pasta needs a little more cooking.

When ready, serve with plenty of parmesan and a simple crunchy green salad.