White Mushroom and Cheese Lasagna
Description
Whether you are feeding a crowd or just your family, this rich, cheesy lasagna will not disappoint. Vegetarians will love it, but meat eaters will as well. It is full of filling mushrooms, and is a rich and and comforting dish.
Ingredients
2 lb. fresh mushrooms, your choice of kind
1 pkg. dried mixed wild mushrooms
4 T. fresh thyme leaves
1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
3 large shallots, finely chopped
1/2 c. Marsala wine
3 T. flour
1 c. whole milk
1 c. half and half
2 c. ricotta cheese
2 eggs
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
1 lb. fresh pasta sheets, enough for 4 layers
8 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350.
Clean dirt from mushrooms with paper towels and trim a little off of the ends of the stems. Cut into thick slices.
Reconstitute dried mushrooms according to the package directions, then drain and rinse. Give them a rough chop and set aside.
Heat a large saute pan on medium-high heat and saute mushrooms, and about half of the fresh thyme leaves, in about 3 batches, stirring constantly until they have begun to lose their moisture and are fragrant and browned. Don't use any oil or butter - the heat of the pan will saute them and concentrate their flavors. It takes about several minutes per batch. Put the mushrooms aside on a plate, along with the reconstituted dried mushrooms.
In the same pan, heat the olive oil and butter and saute the shallots for a few minutes. Add the Marsala wine and let it bubble for a minute, scraping anything up from the bottom of the pan. When the liquid has reduced, sprinkle flour over the shallots and stir to combine. Stir for another minute. Combine the milk and half and half and add it to the pan in a stream, stirring constantly. Whisk or stir to combine everything well, and cook until the sauce thickens. Don't let it boil. Turn off the heat and add the grated Cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese in and stir to melt it. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little milk. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
Whisk together the ricotta and the two eggs. Set aside.
Layer lasagna:
Spoon a little sauce across the bottom of a 9x13 casserole. Lay down a layer of pasta. Scatter 1/3 of the mushrooms across it. Next layer 1/3 of the ricotta cheese, then 1/4 of the sauce.
Add another layer of pasta, and repeat. Add the remaining sauce on top of the last layer, spreading evenly over the top. Sprinkle Gruyere cheese evenly over the sauce.
Cover loosely with aluminum foil, but don't touch the cheese. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until bubbling and hot through and through. Place it under the broiler for a minute if you want to get some color on the top.
Scatter the remaining fresh thyme over the top. Serve.
Serves 8-10.
Tip: This lasagna can be assembled in advance and refrigerated overnight. Just bring it to room temperature before baking. It can be frozen and then brought to room temperature and baked, as well.