What would October be without pumpkins? Certainly not as colorful, and definitely not as festive. But why should jack-o'-lanterns alone get all the attention?
Whether you're hosting a terrifyingly fun Halloween party (the holiday is on a Friday this year, after all), or your idea of a good time come Oct. 31 involves sweat pants, a voluminous hoodie, your couch and a viewing of Practical Magic, try incorporating pumpkin into your menu.
My pumpkin spice latte gives the chain-store version a frighteningly delicious run for the money (and is far less saccharine sweet yet pumpkin forward, to boot). And my recipe for pumpkin and sage lasagna is a surefire seasonal pleaser, whether for a crowd or a party of one.
Canned pumpkin works in a pinch, but nothing beats the flavor of homemade pumpkin purée. We're fortunate here in Western North Carolina to have a wide range of fresh-from-the-field pumpkins currently for sale at farmers markets and grocers.
Though all pumpkins are technically edible, some are better for eating purposes than others. Look for pumpkins labeled "pie pumpkins." Decorative varieties, including Long Island cheese, Cinderella and sugar, are also quite tasty in culinary applications.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, until it becomes fragrant and turns a little brown at the edges. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, stirring every minute or so, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the kale and cook down, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the flour and stir to completely incorporate.
Cook the meat sauce for another 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Prepare the lasagna noodles according to the package's instructions. While the noodles boil, make the ricotta filling.
Prepare the ricotta filling
Place the minced sage leaves and olive oil in a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. If you don't have a food processor, you can simply blend the sage and oil together in a small bowl using a fork. Combine the sage pesto with the remaining ricotta filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Assemble the lasagna
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter. Spread roughly one-third of the meat sauce over the bottom of the baking pan. Sprinkle ½ cup of the shredded mozzarella across the sauce.
Place four lasagna noodles over the mozzarella, overlapping their edges as needed. Spread roughly one-third of the ricotta filling across the noodles. Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded mozzarella across the ricotta. Place four lasagna noodles over the mozzarella.
Repeat the above steps twice more, with layers of the remaining meat sauce and ricotta filling, divided by lasagna noodles and scattered with cheese, ending with a layer of noodles on top. Scatter the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella evenly across the surface of the noodles. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cheese is evenly browned across the surface of the dish.
Cool for 30-45 minutes before serving. The lasagna can be made one or two days ahead. To serve, reheat at 200 degrees F for about 30 minutes, until the dish is warm to the touch.