THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE

Cup of Yum
1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour with the help of a flour sieve: in this way you are sure that there are no lumps. Mix quickly with a whisk, until the mixture is smooth.The mixture of butter and flour is called roux and it should be a nice golden color. The mixture of butter and flour is called roux and it should be a nice golden color.
2. Meanwhile heat the milk, without bringing to a boil. Pour the milk slowly over the roux, while stirring with a whisk. Season with salt and grated nutmeg.
3. Put the saucepan back on low heat. Keep mixing constantly, until you have a fairly thick consistency for about 10/15 minutes. The sauce is ready when it sticks to the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside.

THE FILLING

1. Peel the pumpkin on a cutting board and remove the inner seeds. Then cut it into cubes. You will need to get about 1 kg (2,2 pounds) of pulp from it, net of scraps.
2. Place the pumpkin in a skillet with the oil, peeled garlic cloves, a few sage leaves and some salt. Let it season over medium heat for about 5 minutes while stirring.
3. Lower the heat and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes. There is no need to add water or broth because the pumpkin will release its own water. The squash will be ready when it is very soft.
4. When the pumpkin is cooked, remove the garlic and sage leaves. Mash about ⅔ of it with a fork to make a pumpkin puree. Set aside the remaining chopped pumpkin.
5. While the pumpkin is cooking, cut the mozzarella into cubes and place in a strainer to remove as much liquid as possible.
6. When the pumpkin purée has cooled, add it to the béchamel sauce and mix well.

MAKE THE LAYERS

1. Place two or three tablespoons of pumpkin béchamel on the bottom of a baking pan or a casserole. Then lay down the first layer of lasagna noodles.
2. Cover them with 2 or 3 tablespoons of pumpkin béchamel, a few cubes of mozzarella cheese and some grated Parmigiano cheese.
3. Continue making layers (lasagna noodles + pumpkin béchamel + mozzarella + grated parmigiano) until you finish all ingredients.
4. Finish the last layer with plenty of grated parmigiano to create a crispy crust while baking. Add on top the cubed cooked pumpkin you set aside and a few sage leaves.

THE BAKING

1. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 30 minutes, until the surface is golden.
2. Let Pumpkin Lasagna cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. This will firm up the lasagna and make it easier to make portions.