I love mushrooms, and they go so beautifully with pasta. The layers of fresh pasta, mushrooms, red sauce, and white sauce make for a luxurious, over the top, incredible lasagna. You don’t have to make fresh pasta, but I will always say that it’s so much better. However, if you don’t have the equipment or desire to make fresh pasta, store bought is just fine! Just use a 1-Pound package of lasagna noodles, cooked, and drained according to the box directions.

Prep Time: 90 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Inactive Time: 30 Minutes

Total Time: 3 Hours

Serves 8-10 people

Ingredients:

For the Pasta (if making):

300g 00 Flour

3 Large Eggs

1 Large Egg Yolk

1 Tbs Olive Oil

Semolina Flour for Dusting

For the White Sauce:

3 Cups (240mL) Whole Milk

4 Tbs (56g) Unsalted Butter

½ Cup (30g) All Purpose Flour

1 Cup (80g) Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 Tsp (8g) Salt

2 Tsp (8g) Garlic Powder

 For the Rest:

24 Oz (680g) Good Quality Red Pasta Sauce (I use Rao’s)

2 Portobello Mushroom Caps (400g), Cleaned, Stems Removed

8 Oz (226g) Shiitake Mushrooms, Cleaned, Stems Removed

1 Cup (80g) Grated Parmesan Cheese

4 Oz (113g) Shredded Low Moisture Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

1.     If you’re making the pasta, start with that. Add the flour, eggs, egg yolk, and olive oil to a food processor and process on a low speed until the dough forms. Turn is out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or two, collecting into a tight ball. If you can poke the dough and it springs back almost all the way, it’s done. Cover tightly with plastic and rest at room temperature for one hour.

2.     While the dough is resting, make the white sauce by heating the milk in a pot on the stove or in the microwave until scalded but not boiling.

3.     Add the butter to a pot and melt over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for two minutes, then add the hot milk and whisk over medium heat until thickened. If you can dip a spoon into the sauce and it coats the spoon, it’s done.

4.     Turn off the heat and add the cheese, salt, and garlic powder and whisk until smooth. Cover to keep warm.

5.     Slice all the mushrooms into ¼-inch thick slices and set aside.

6.     Lightly oil a 9x13-inch dish and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees F (180C).

7.     Cut the pasta dough into 4 pieces and work with one at a time. Cover the rest in plastic so they don’t dry out. Lightly flour a surface and have some sheets of parchment paper ready. Roll out one of the pieces of dough into a thin ovel, then roll through a pasta roller on setting 2 (relatively thick). Roll it through 2 times, then roll it on thinner settings each time, up to number 8. You should be able to barely see your fingers through the dough and it will be about 1mm thick. I ended up cutting each section of dough in half as I rolled it thinner so the pieces wouldn’t be too long. Place the rolled pasta on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, then cover with another sheet of parchment and repeat the process until all the dough is rolled out.

8.     If you aren’t making the pasta, this is when you cook the boxed lasagna noodles according to the box directions.

9.     To assemble the lasagna, pour 1 cup of the white sauce in the bottom of the pan, spread it evenly, then cover with one layer of pasta noodles. Cut and arrange the noodles so they completely cover the bottom.

10.  Spread 1 Cup of red sauce all over the noodles, then cover the sauce with a layer of the sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle ¼ cup of parmesan cheese all over that, then place another layer of pasta on top of that.

11.  Spread another cup of white sauce on the noodles, add mushrooms and parmesan, then another layer of noodles. Use red sauce and the rest of the mushrooms for the next layer, then add another layer of noodles and pour the rest of the white sauce on top, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle the mozzarella and the rest of the parmesan all over the top.

12.  You can cover this with foil and refrigerate for up to a day, or you can bake it for around 40 minutes, until the top is bubbly and golden brown. Allow the lasagna to cool for about 10 minutes before cutting. Top with a little more parmesan cheese and enjoy.