Lasagna with Pumpkin and Mortadella
To prepare a delicious pumpkin and mortadella lasagna, the first step is to focus on the dough. In a large bowl, we mix the flour with the egg and salt, making sure all the ingredients are well integrated. We knead the dough patiently, transforming it into a smooth ball which we carefully wrap in plastic wrap. It is essential to let the dough rest on the work surface or in the cupboard for at least an hour. This step will allow the gluten to develop, giving us an elastic dough that is easy to roll out.
Meanwhile, we take care of the delicious filling. We cut the pumpkin into cubes and boil them in salted water or steam them, but a wonderful option is to roast them in the oven to intensify the flavors. When the pumpkin becomes soft and a fork easily pierces it, we carefully drain it. In parallel, we cut the mortadella into cubes or very thin slices, and the cheese, such as cheese, we also cut into cubes to integrate perfectly into the layers of lasagna.
After the dough has rested, we roll it out with a rolling pin on a floured work surface, obtaining a sheet as thin as possible. We cut the sheet into squares or rectangles, being careful that their dimensions match the tray we will use. We prepare a pot of water on the stove and fill it with cold water in a bowl. When the water starts to boil, we add a pinch of coarse salt and introduce the dough sheets one by one. Each sheet will boil for about 20 seconds, then we remove it with a spatula or tweezers and immediately transfer it to the cold water, where it will cool quickly.
After we finish blanching all the sheets, we carefully lay them on a clean cotton towel, ensuring they dry well. Now we are ready to assemble the lasagna. We start by lightly greasing the bottom of the tray with oil, then place the first sheet of lasagna. Follow with a layer of mortadella cubes, then pumpkin and cheese. We continue to alternate layers of sheet, mortadella, pumpkin, and cheese until we reach the last layer, which we cover with pumpkin and grated cheese, adding parmesan on top for extra flavor.
It is important to mention that we did not add extra salt, as the ingredients used were already boiled in salted water or contain salt in their composition. Unlike classic lasagna, which requires a béchamel sauce that can cause the dough to puff up, this recipe allows us to fill the tray to the top without worrying that it will overflow. After the lasagna is assembled, we place it in the preheated oven at 180°C and let it bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the surface becomes golden and appetizing. This will spread enticing aromas throughout the house, and the final result will be a delicious lasagna, full of flavor and textures, perfect for a family meal or a special occasion.
Ingredients: For 2 servings: Dough: 100g white flour, 1 egg, salt. Filling: 1 deep plate full of pumpkin cubes, 100g mortadella*, 100-150g soft cheese**, 1 tablespoon of oil, 100g grated parmesan.
