lasagne.

Ingredients
Spray oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup grated pumpkin
1 stick celery, finely diced
750g lean beef mince
700g bottle tomato passata or crushed canned tomatoes
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground black pepper
2 eggplants, thinly sliced lengthwise
200g baby spinach
5-6 fresh or dried lasagne sheets
1⁄2 cup finely grated parmesan or cheddar cheese

Cheese sauce
750ml milk
3⁄8 cup cornflour
3⁄4 cup grated reduced-fat vintage cheddar cheese

Method:
1. Spray a large frypan with oil, and cook onion, garlic, pumpkin and celery over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add mince and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mince changes colour. Stir in tomato sauce, water, bay leaf and parsley, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes or until sauce thickens and meat is tender. Remove from heat. Season with pepper.

2. Place eggplant slices on a lined oven tray, spray lightly with oil and bake at 180C for 15 minutes until soft.

3. For cheese sauce, mix 1 cup milk with the cornflour and set aside. Bring remaining milk to a gentle simmer, whisk in cornflour mixture, bring the mixture to the boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly until thickened, then stir in the cheese.

4. Spread one-quarter of the meat sauce over the base of a large baking dish, top with lasagne sheets. Continue layering with one-third of each: meat sauce, eggplant, cheese sauce and half the spinach leaves, finishing with sheets of pasta and a layer of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling around the edges.

Rest for 10-15 minutes before serving with a crisp green salad.