Pumpkin and goat’s cheese lasagne with rocket and pepita

1.Preheat oven to 200°C.

2.Divide pumpkin halves, skin-side up, between two large oven trays; drizzle each tray with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season. Cover with foil; bake 2 hours or until very tender. Cool. Remove seeds, then peel away skin with your fingers. Working in batches, place pumpkin in a large sieve over a bowl; drain off excess liquid. Reserve 1¼ cups liquid; discard remaining. Transfer pumpkin to a bowl; mash with a potato masher.

3.Heat remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook leeks and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until soft. Combine leek mixture, mashed pumpkin, nutmeg and reserved pumpkin liquid. Season to taste.

4.Process ricotta, egg yolks and rind, in batches, until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in 2 cups (160g) of the parmesan with cream and herbs. Season.

5.Oil two ovenproof dishes, each about 24cm x 30cm x 6cm and 3.5 litres (14 cups). Place 2 lasagne sheets in base of one dish. Spoon over a sixth of the ricotta mixture; smooth the surface. Top with a quarter of pumpkin mixture. Repeat layers, then top with 2½ lasagne sheets and another sixth of ricotta mixture. Scatter with half each of the goat’s cheese and remaining parmesan. Cover with a layer of baking paper, then foil. Repeat layering with remaining lasagne sheets, ricotta mixture, pumpkin, goat’s cheese and parmesan to make the second lasagne. (Each lasagne will have three layers of pasta, two layers of pumpkin and three layers of ricotta mixture.)

6.Bake lasagne for 50 minutes, swapping dishes half way through cooking time. Remove foil and paper; bake a further 15 minutes or until golden and hot. Stand 10 minutes.

7.Meanwhile, make rocket and pepita salad. Combine juice, mustard and oil in a large bowl; season. Add rocket, pepitas and pumpkin seeds; toss gently to combine.

8.Top lasagne with half the salad; serve remaining salad on the side.