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Pumpkin & Minced Beef Lasagne

Name: Pumpkin & Minced Beef Lasagne
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 carrots, diced; 2 celery sticks, diced; 400g extra lean minced beef (less than 5% fat); 2 tins of chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp tomato puree; 300ml beef stock; a few springs of thyme; 2kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into slices; 30g parmesan cheese, grated; 4 baked potatoes to serve; salt and pepper to taste; low Cal cooking spray; for the white sauce; 4 tbsp cornflour; 600ml skimmed milk; 125g fat-free fromage frais

An Autumnal twist on the classic Lasagne. This recipe serves 6 at 1 Bite per serving.

Preparation Time	10mins
Cooking Time	25mins
Level	Easy
Serves	6
Bites	1

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 carrots, diced

2 celery sticks, diced

400g extra lean minced beef (less than 5% fat)

2 tins of chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato puree

300ml beef stock

a few springs of thyme

2kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into slices

30g parmesan cheese, grated

4 baked potatoes to serve

salt and pepper to taste

low Cal cooking spray

for the white sauce

4 tbsp cornflour

600ml skimmed milk

125g fat-free fromage frais

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 C, Gas Mark 5.

Lightly spritz a large saucepan with low Cal spray oil and cook the onion, garlic, carrots and celery over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until tender.

Add the minced beef and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until browned. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, beef stock, thyme and bring to a boil.

Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until reduced and thickened.

Meanwhile, make the white sauce: blend the cornflour with a little cold milk. Heat the remaining milk and when it starts to boil, stir in the cornflour mixture.

Reduce the heat and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes until thick and smooth.

Off the heat, beat in the fromage frais and some seasoning.

Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil and drop in the pumpkin. After 2 minutes, remove carefully with a slotted spoon and drain on to kitchen paper.

Cover the bottom of a rectangular ovenproof dish with a layer of overlapping pumpkin (one-third) and pour half the minced beef mixture on top.

Add another layer of pumpkin (half the remaining slices) and spread with half the white sauce. Cover with the remaining minced beef mixture and the rest of the pumpkin. Pour the remaining white sauce over the top and sprinkle with parmesan.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and cooked and the top is golden brown. Serve with baked potatoes.