Recipe: Spinach & Porcini Lasagna , Green salad, and Oven Garlic Bread

Last night I was a dinner guest of a friend who served a delicious lemon chicken with mushrooms. I will ask for the recipe and try to post later.

This lasagna was posted here on Recipe Link by Gina/FL on April 5th, 2000. It looked so delicious I saved it. I have some ricotta I need to use and several of the other ingredients on hand so it is a good time to try it.

Spinach & Porcini Lasagna
serves 8-10, freezes well
recipe from "I'll Taste Manhattan"
The Jr. League of New York, 1994

Porcini-Bechamel Sauce:
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1 1/2 c. water
3 T. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste

Lasagna:
2 10 oz. pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, cooked
1 15 oz. cont. ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
8 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c.chopped Italian parsley
nutmeg and black pepper to taste
1 c. chopped onion
2 T. olive oil
1 T. chopped garlic
1 lb. fresh sliced mushrooms
1 lb. lasagna noodles cooked al dente
1 lb. mozzarella cheese, thin sliced
2 c. light red sauce

Light red sauce:
1/2 c. chopped sweet yellow onion
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprig parsley
2 15 oz. cans plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 t. fresh oregano leaves
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
Saute the onion in the heated oil in a pan over low heat for 5 mts. til very tender but not brown. Add the garlic, saute for 1 mt.

Drain the tomatoes, reserve the juices in a bowl. Squeeze the remaining juice and seeds from the tomatoes into the bowl. Chop the tomatoes and add to saute pan. Strain reserved juices into saute pan. Add parsley and bay leaf. Simmer for 10 mts. til sauce is reduced to 2 c. Stir in the basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.

To Make the Porcini-Bechamel Sauce:
Combine the dried mushrooms with water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 30 mts. Drain, reserve 1 c. of liquid. Chop mushrooms to measure about 1/2 c. Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour, cook for 5 mts., stir constantly. Add the milk gradually whisking constantly. Whisk in the reserved mushroom liquid. Cook over low heat for 8 mts. til thickened whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper.

To Make the Lasagna:
Combine the spinach, ricotta cheese, eggs, 3 T. parmesan, 1/4 c. parsley, nutmeg and pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Saute the onion in the heated oil for 5 mts. til tender but not browned. Add the garlic, saute for 1 mt. Stir half of this mixture into the spinach mixture.

Add the fresh mushrooms to the remaining onion mixture in the pan and saute over med. for 10 mts. or until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid has evaporated. Add the chopped porcini, pepper and remaining 1/4 c. parsley and 2 T. parmesan. Mix well.
Preheat oven to 350, Drain lasagna noodles and pat dry. Arrange a layer of noodles in a 10x14 baking dish, spread with spinach mix, arrange 1/3 of mozzarella cheese slices over. Add second layer of noodles, spread all the sauce over, top with half the remaining mozzarella cheese. Spread mushroom mixture over and add the remaining mozzarella cheese. Top with the remaining noodles. Spoon the porcini-bechamel sauce over the top, sprinkle with remaining 3 T. parmesan. Bake 50 mts. or until top is puffed and browned. Let stand for 15 mts. before serving.