A true crowd-pleaser, this Italian classic has many different versions depending on which part of the country it comes from. The most simple is a vegetarian lasagne from Tuscany that consists of a rich tomato and basil sauce, lashings of creamy béchamel and cheese. This one is made heartier with the addition of meaty mushrooms and spinach. It needs nothing more than a crisp green salad and some crusty bread for mopping up the sauces.
Ingredients
- 12 sheets quick cook, green lasagne
- 1 large white onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 500 g mushrooms, sliced
- 500 g fresh spinach (wilt in a dry pan, squeeze out water, and chop)
- 500 ml béchamel sauce
- 100 g cheddar, grated
- 100 g Parmesan, grated
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Splash of olive oil
Method
- Preheat oven to 180ºC
- Sautee the onion in olive oil until soft and golden, add the garlic and cook until it release its aromas
- Stir in the sliced mushrooms, cook for a minute or two, then add the spinach and tomatoes
-
Simmer until the mushrooms are tender, check for seasoning and remove from the heat
- Layer an oven-proof dish with the tomato sauce, a layer of lasagne and a layer of béchamel. Repeat until all of the lasagne is used up, finishing with the béchamel.
- Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and Parmesan and bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling
To make the bechamel
- 40 g butter
- 20 g flour
- 425 ml whole milk
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Melt the butter over a medium heat, as it starts to foam whisk in the flour to form a thick paste
- Gradually add the milk, whisking all the time until it thickens, don’t let it boil
- Add the nutmeg, season and remove from the heat
Bounty
Bounty
