Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

The meaty shiitake and crimini mushrooms, spinach, and ricotta and mozzarella cheeses are used in this vegetarian lasagna recipe. It serves a large number of people and will please both vegetarians and meat eaters!

Ingredients :

For the sauce

• 1 1/2 pounds cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped

• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 generous cup chopped onions

• Extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for frying the noodles, 1/4 cup

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped (about 4 teaspoons)

• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

• 2 cups prepared tomato sauce, divided

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup water

• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 tablespoon sugar

For the lasagna

• 2 (10-ounce) boxes of frozen chopped spinach that have been thawed and wrung dry with a clean towel

• 1-pound bag of lasagna noodles (16 to 20 noodles)

• 1 (15 or 16-ounce) container ricotta cheese

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

• A quarter pound of shredded Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (about 1 cup)

• Shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 pound (about 4 cups)

STEPS :

     1. Sauté the mushrooms :

In a large (6 to 8 quart) sauté pan, saute the mushrooms over high or medium-high heat. Mix them with a wooden spoon or shake the pan occasionally. They might squeak, which you can hear.

Season the mushrooms with salt. The mushrooms will begin to sizzle and then release water. (Notice that no fat is being added to the pan at this time; this method of cooking mushrooms in their own moisture is known as "dry sautéing.")

Stir in the chopped onions after the mushrooms begin to leak water into the pan. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are no longer releasing moisture and the mushroom water has evaporated.

     2. Make the sauce :

Stir in the olive oil to coat the mushrooms. For approximately a minute, sauté the mushrooms and onions. After one more minute, add the garlic.

After adding the tomato paste, cook for an additional minute. The remaining cup of tomato sauce should be poured to the saucepan with the mushrooms, with 1 cup being set aside for the bottom of the casserole dish. Add one cup of water and the large can of crushed tomatoes.

Combine the thyme, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a mixing bowl. (If using dried basil rather than fresh, add it now.) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low heat and continue to cook for 20 minutes.

     3. Prepare the pan and preheat the oven :

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cover the bottom of a large (ideally 10- x 15-inch) casserole dish with the remaining tomato sauce. (If you have a smaller casserole dish, you may need to add another layer as you go through this stage.)

     4. Boil and drain the lasagna noodles :

While the sauce is simmering, season the boiling pasta water and add the dry lasagna noodles. (The water should be vigorously boiling.) Gently stir the noodles to prevent them from sticking together. Set the timer for 8 minutes, or as long the noodles' box specifies. Cook over high heat, uncovered.

When the noodles are done (al dente, cooked through but still firm to the biting), drain them in a strainer and rinse with cold water to cool them. As you rinse them, use your fingers to carefully separate them so they don't stick together.

Spread a tablespoon of olive oil on a couple of big cookie sheets or baking sheets.

Spread the lasagna noodles out on the sheets, lightly covering them with a dab of the olive oil. When you complete the sauce and create the layered dish, this will help keep them from sticking together.

     5. Assemble the lasagna :

Turn off the cooktop heat for the sauce.

Over the tomato sauce, place a layer of lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping. (For our 10x15-inch plate, we ended up with three layers of six noodles apiece, plus two additional noodles to nibble on.)

Spread half of the ricotta cheese over the noodles, followed by half of the defrosted, drained, and squeezed spinach.

Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese and a quarter of the pecorino cheese over the spinach.

Next spoon about a third of the mushroom sauce over the mozzarella. Half of the fresh basil should be sprinkled over the sauce.

     6. Repeat the layers :

Layering should be done again. Put another layer of noodles on top of the sauce. Cover the noodles with the remaining ricotta, spinach, and mozzarella. Together with the mozzarella, add another quarter of the pecorino. Sprinkle with the remaining fresh basil and another 1/3 of the mushroom sauce.

Place the last layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. The leftover sauce and parmesan or pecorino cheese should be spread over the lasagna noodles.

     7. Cover with foil and bake :

Remove an aluminum foil piece large enough to cover the casserole dish. Apply a thin layer of olive oil on the inside of the piece of foil (the side that will have contact with the lasagna). Crimp the edges of the foil and place it over the casserole dish.

Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for another 25 minutes.

After the lasagna is done, remove it from the oven and let it aside for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. The lasagna will keep in the fridge for a week after it is made.