Wild Mushroom And Spinach Lasagna
My Wild Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna dish is loaded with flavor. I promise you won't miss the meat!
Equipment
- 1 baking dish 3-quart (15" x 9 1/2" x 2 1/2" high)
- 1 saucepot 6-quart
- 3 mixing bowls Large
- 1 mixing bowl Small
- 1 Rondeau brasing pot (large deep-sided frying pan)
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 Microplane
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Pasta:
- 2 boxes dried oven-ready lasagna noodles ( you may only need a little over 1 box)
Ingredients for Sautèed Wild Mushrooms:
- 3 tbsps butter Unsalted
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves Finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 large Portobello mushrooms Cleaned and sliced
- 1 pint White button mushrooms Cleaned and sliced
- 2 pints Cremini mushrooms Cleaned and sliced
- 5 Oyster mushrooms Cleaned, with the central stems removed and discarded
- 6 Trumpet mushrooms Bottom tip removed, then sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 10 Shiitake mushrooms Cleaned, stems removed and discarded, caps sliced
- 3 tbsps garlic Minced
- 2 tsps kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
- 1/4 cup beef stock Unsalted, substitute vegetable stock or a good red wine
Ingredients for the Spinach:
- 2 10-ounce packages thawed frozen spinach Drained of any excess water
Ingredients for the Cheese Mixture:
- 1 package fresh mozzarella cheese Sliced into 14 rounds
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Freshly-ground
- 1 cup store-bought low-moisture shredded Mozzarella 8-ounces
Ingredients for the Ricotta Cheese Mixture:
- 24 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese (3/4 of a 32-ounce container)
- 3 large eggs Room temperature
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
- 1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley Finely chopped
Ingredients for the Béchamel Sauce:
- 4 cups whole milk
- 8 tbsps
(1 stick)
butter Unsalted - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
- 1/4 tsp whole nutmeg Freshly-ground
Garnish:
- 2 tbsps Italian flat-leaf parsley Finely chopped
Instructions
- Instructions for Sautèed Wild Mushrooms:In a large deep-sided frying pan (if you don't have one of these pans, sauté your mushrooms in two batches, about 5 minutes per batch) over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil, then add the fresh and dried thyme. Next, add the mushrooms, tossing and stirring continuously. As the mushrooms cook, they'll first release their water and then caramelize.Add in the minced garlic and black pepper, again, stirring occasionally. Once all their water has evaporated, there will be mushroom bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock and scrape up the delicious bits using a wooden spoon. Once the mushrooms have started to brown, add the salt. Continue stirring and allow the mushrooms to cook, absorbing the remaining beef broth, and become tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.Instructions for the Spinach:Defrost both boxes of frozen spinach the day before. Once thawed, drain and squeeze the spinach from any excess water. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside.Instructions for the Cheese Mixture:Place store-bought shredded Mozzarella cheese in a bowl and set aside. Chop up the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into small chunks and place them into a food processor. Pulse a few times until you have the consistency of ground cheese. For the fresh Mozzarella, slice the Mozzarella into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place all prepped cheeses in the fridge until needed.Instructions for the Ricotta Cheese Mixture:In a large bowl, add Ricotta, 3 beaten large eggs, 1/2 teaspoon each of Kosher salt and pepper, and finely chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley. Mix until well combined and set aside.Instructions for the Béchamel Sauce:Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, whisking constantly until the flour has cooked out and becomes blonde in color. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1 teaspoon each of Kosher salt, freshly-ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly-ground nutmeg. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Double-check the thickness of the Béchamel sauce by dipping a wooden spoon into the sauce. Take your finger and make a line down the back of the spoon. If the sauce remains separated and doesn't run together, the sauce is ready. Immediately transfer to a large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly over the sauce to prevent a skin from forming, and set aside.Assembling the Lasagna:Preheat oven to 375°F.Start by buttering the bottom of the baking dish. Spread some of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of oven-ready noodles on top, then ladle more Bechamel sauce. Sprinkle both grated Parmesan and shredded Mozzarella cheeses. Next, add half the spinach and mushrooms. To that, add the fresh Mozzarella slices. Repeat this process once more. Next, add all of the Ricotta mixtures and top with another layer of the noodles. Lightly press your hands on the top of the dish to ensure all the ingredients are evenly distributed and level. Over that last layer of noodles, top with the rest of the Bechamel sauce and a final sprinkle of both grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and shredded Mozzarella cheeses. Add a sprinkle of dried parsley over the top for color.Bake uncovered for 45 minutes until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbly and hot. Once the lasagna is out of the oven, let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve hot.There you have it, my Wild Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna.
Notes
1) This dish will require approximately 1 1/2 pounds of mushrooms in total.
2) Instructions for Reheating Refrigerated Lasagna:Preheat oven to 425°F.
Pour between 2 tablespoons or 1/4 cup of water over the lasagna (depending on its size). Spray the dull side of the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Place the sprayed side down over the lasagna and seal tightly around the edges of the baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes, or until lasagna is hot and bubbly. 3) Instructions for Freezing Fully-Cooked Lasagna:
Ensure the lasagna has cooled completely for at least 1.5 hours. Wrap the entire baking dish in freezer-safe plastic wrap. This ensures there are no gaps where air can't get in and cause freezer burn. Then place foil over the top. It can last up to three months. 4) Instructions for Cooking Frozen Lasagna:
Transfer the frozen lasagna to the refrigerator 24 hours in advance.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Before transferring it to the oven, remove the foil and plastic wrap and replace the dish with new foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray on the dull side of the foil. Add 2 tablespoons to a 1/4 cup (depending on the size of the lasagna) of water over the top of the lasagna. Place the sprayed side down over the top, and seal the edges tightly. This will prevent any cheese from sticking to the foil. Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. 5) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.
