Lasagna is such a staple dish now and carefully made at home, it is delicious and comforting and easily feeds friends or family. Vegetarian versions are more difficult. I have often made one with lentils, which if you work at the seasonings, can hit that tomato, savoury Italian flavour successfully even if it is a bit heavier. But others have not been so good, even Delia's roasted vegetable one - you expect the Italian effect and get something unsatisfying less.
So I tried this Ottolenghi recipe (from the book Plenty given to me as a lovely gift by a daughter) with some hesitation but also hopefully because it does not attempt to be the usual dish. It is very cheesy, with a rich mushroom flavour and is not at all Italian while still being very good pasta.
Instead of a meaty tomato layer with creamy bechamel for contrast, you get pasta, of course, a really tasty mushroom layer, a cheesy sauce that also has some mushroom flavour and an extra layer of white cheesy creaminess. I did not put in absolutely all the cheese suggested by the master as I judged the dairyness had reached its maximum. I am sure once you have the idea, you could adjust it just as you can the traditional recipe, to suit the size of your dish, the number you want to feed and indeed what cheeses you happen to have. But this is his version, minus extra cheese sprinkled at each layer and some tarragon he puts on the mushrooms.
It was a hit with meat eaters and vegetarians alike so it will go into the keep list and is appearing here! It would make a very good party dish.
Mushroom Lasagna - for at least 6- 8. It makes a big dish full and is very rich
An oven dish roughly 25 x 35 cm
Packet green lasagna sheets
35 g dried mushrooms - porcini
800g mushrooms, any mixture that includes some dark field ones
375 g ricotta
150g feta
170g gruyere
(150g fontina or mozzaralla - this is the one I did not put in! He sprinkles it on each layer)
50 g Parmesan
1 large egg
550 ml milk
So I tried this Ottolenghi recipe (from the book Plenty given to me as a lovely gift by a daughter) with some hesitation but also hopefully because it does not attempt to be the usual dish. It is very cheesy, with a rich mushroom flavour and is not at all Italian while still being very good pasta.
Instead of a meaty tomato layer with creamy bechamel for contrast, you get pasta, of course, a really tasty mushroom layer, a cheesy sauce that also has some mushroom flavour and an extra layer of white cheesy creaminess. I did not put in absolutely all the cheese suggested by the master as I judged the dairyness had reached its maximum. I am sure once you have the idea, you could adjust it just as you can the traditional recipe, to suit the size of your dish, the number you want to feed and indeed what cheeses you happen to have. But this is his version, minus extra cheese sprinkled at each layer and some tarragon he puts on the mushrooms.
It was a hit with meat eaters and vegetarians alike so it will go into the keep list and is appearing here! It would make a very good party dish.
Mushroom Lasagna - for at least 6- 8. It makes a big dish full and is very rich
An oven dish roughly 25 x 35 cm
Packet green lasagna sheets
35 g dried mushrooms - porcini
800g mushrooms, any mixture that includes some dark field ones
375 g ricotta
150g feta
170g gruyere
(150g fontina or mozzaralla - this is the one I did not put in! He sprinkles it on each layer)
50 g Parmesan
1 large egg
550 ml milk
- Pour 400ml warm water over the porcini and leave for 5 mins. Then put them in a sieve over a jug and squeeze them out, keeping the liquid.
- Melt approx 60g butter and add the sliced mushrooms, the porcini and some chopped thyme. Cook a few minutes till they soften. Cool, season with S&P, and add a good handful chopped parsley.
- Melt 60g butter and soften a finely chopped shallot or half an onion. Add 60g P flour and cook gently, stirring.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and the porcini soaking liquid; add 1/2 tsp salt and cook over a low heat for about 10 mins stirring, till it is thickish.
- Mix the ricotta and beaten egg; add 3 tbs of your white sauce and the crumbled feta.
- Add the grated gruyere to the sauce in the pan.
- Pour boiling water over the lasagna sheets, two at time, in a large bowl so they start to soften. I never do this with a meat version but perhaps there is not enough liquid in this to be sure the pasta will cook? Dry them on a clean tea towel as you take them out.
- Now layer the dish up; start with one fifth of the white sauce, then pasta, then one quarter of ricotta mix, then mushrooms, then pasta - four layers in all, finishing with pasta and a thick layer of the white sauce.
- Finish with grated Parmesan and bake 40 mins, No 4/180C. loosely covered with foil. Then take the foil off and brown the top for another 10 mins. Rest for 10 mins before serving.
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