Homemade mushroom meat lasagna
8
- Prep Time30 mins
- Total Time30 mins
- Makes8 servings
Ingredients
300-g pkg frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup white wine
14-g pkg dried mushrooms
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, optional
vegetable oil
5 to 6 hot Italian sausages
1/2 cup marsala, or sherry
700-mL bottle tomato sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano leaves
6 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
2 227-g pkgs sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups 3.25% milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 cups grated mozzarella
1 cup grated fresh parmesan
9 to 15 oven-ready lasagna sheets
Instructions
Remove spinach from freezer. Leave at room temperature. Don't thaw in microwave. In a measuring cup, microwave wine on high until hot, 1 minute. Chop dried mushrooms, then add to wine. Cover with plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature.
For meat sauce, slice chicken into bite-size pieces. Coat a large frying pan with oil and set over medium heat. Slice sausages in half lengthwise, then crumble meat into pan. Use a fork to keep meat crumbly. Cook until no pink remains, 3 minutes. Add marsala and chicken. Increase heat to high. Stir often until most of marsala is evaporated, 5 minutes. Add pasta sauce, basil and oregano. Stir often until hot. Remove from heat.
For mushroom sauce, melt 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Sauté until softened, 3 minutes. Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter and sliced mushrooms. Pan will be full. Sprinkle with 1 tsp (5 mL) salt. Stir often until mushrooms start to soften, 4 minutes. Add soaked dried mushrooms and wine. Increase heat to high and stir often until most of liquid is absorbed, 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
For white sauce, melt remaining 4 tbsp (60 mL) butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour. Whisk constantly until mixture bubbles. Then gradually whisk in milk. Whisk until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk often until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in nutmeg and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt. Stir half of sauce into mushroom mixture. Set remaining sauce aside.
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). In a bowl, mix cheeses. Spread enough meat sauce to barely cover bottom of a 9x13-inch (3-L) baking dish. Top with 3 to 5 noodles. Don't overlap. Spread with half of mushroom sauce, then half of meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup (250 mL) cheese. Top with 3 to 5 noodles, then remaining mushroom mixture. Do not squeeze water from partially frozen spinach. Scatter spinach overtop. Sprinkle with 1 cup (250 mL) cheese. Finish with remaining noodles, then meat sauce. Dollop white sauce overtop. It won't cover, but spreads during baking. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover pan with foil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in centre of preheated oven, 1 hour. Remove foil. Continue to bake until sauce is bubbly and top is light golden, 15 to 20 more minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 660, Protein 30.4g, Carbohydrates 44.4g, Fat 39.8g, Fibre 4.9g, Sodium 1729mg.
The giant timpano (spaghetti pie) in the movie Big Night is one of those dishes we'd love to eat, but it looks too overwhelming to make! Instead, we've created a magnificent homemade mushroom meat lasagna.