Celebration lasagna

22

PREP TIME

60 min

Makes

8 servings

* PLUS Cooking time: 25 minutes, Baking Time: 80 minutes

Ingredients

  • 300-g pkg frozen chopped spinach
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 14 g dried mushrooms
  • 5 to 6 hot Italian sausages
  • 1/2 cup Marsala or sherry
  • 700-mL jar tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 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 ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups grated mozzarella
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • 15 oven-ready lasagna noodle pasta

Instructions

  • Remove spinach from freezer. Leave at room temperature. Don’t thaw in microwave. In a measuring cup, microwave wine until hot, 1 minute. Chop dried mushrooms and stir into wine. Cover with plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature.
  • For meat sauce, coat a large frying pan with oil and set over medium heat. Slice sausages in half lengthwise, then crumble meat into pan. Using a fork to keep meat crumbly, cook until no pink remains, 3 min. Add Marsala. Increase heat to high. Stir often until most of Marsala has evaporated, 5 min. 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 min. Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter and sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle with 1 tsp (5 mL) salt. Stir often until mushrooms start to soften, 4 min. Add soaked dried mushrooms and wine. Increase heat to high. Stir often until most of liquid is absorbed, 5 min. Remove from heat.
  • For white sauce, melt remaining 4 tbsp (60 mL) butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour. Whisk constantly until bubbly. Then gradually whisk in milk. Whisk until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk often until thickened, 5 min. Stir in nutmeg and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt. Stir half of this sauce into mushroom mixture.
  • Preheat oven to 350F (180C). In a bowl, mix cheeses. Spread enough meat sauce over bottom of a 9×13-in. (3-L) baking dish to barely cover. Cover with 5 noodles. Don’t overlap but break to fit. Spread with half of mushroom sauce, then half of meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup (250 mL) cheese. Top with 5 noodles, then remaining mushroom mixture. Without squeezing water from partially frozen spinach, scatter overtop. Sprinkle with 1 cup (250 mL) cheese. Cover with noodles, then meat sauce. Dollop white sauce overtop. It won’t cover, but it spreads during baking. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Lay a piece of foil overtop. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in centre of oven, 1 hour. Remove foil. Continue baking until top is lightly golden, 15 to 20 more min. Let stand 5 min before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories
  • 660,
  • Protein
  • 30 g,
  • Carbohydrates
  • 44 g,
  • Fat
  • 40 g,
  • Fibre
  • 5 g,

There’s no denying this Italian classic takes time, but it’s worth it. Our show-stopping lasagna is layered with three sauces – creamy mushroom, rich bechamel and spicy sausage – and guaranteed to have guests asking for seconds.

MAKE AHEAD

Prepare lasagna but do not bake. Cover with foil and refrigerate up to 2 days. Then bring to room temperature and bake as above.

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