Lasagna is for us one of the ultimate comfort foods. I was handed down a family recipe from the south of Italy which is a true classic. Today we were inspired by Ottolenghi's spicy mushroom lasagna recipe. It is an amazing earthy, spicy ragù and makes a delicious dinner and and is even better the next day!
INGREDIENTS
400g chestnut mushrooms
450g oyster mushrooms
200 g portobello mushrooms
300 g shitake
150 ml olive oil
2 dried red chillies roughly chopped
500-800ml vegetable stock
1 onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
4 plum tomatoes, diced
100 g tomato purée
130ml double cream
60g pecorino romano grated
60g Parmesan grated
7 g basil leaves, finely chopped
250g dried lasagne sheets (about 14 sheets or 1 package)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 240C
Finley dice chestnut and oyster mushrooms or working in batches add mushrooms in food processor and pulse. Place the mushrooms in a bowl and drizzle over 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper and toss.
Slice the portobello and shiitake mushrooms. Add to a bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt.
Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper and spread out both the mushroom mixture on the trays. Bake for 25-30 minutes stirring half way through cooking, until the mushrooms are golden brown. Set aside.
Heat up a medium stock pot and oil, once it is hot add the onion and carrot and cook for 5 minutes before adding the garlic, cook an additional 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes and tomato purée, salt and black pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the roasted mushrooms and chillies and cook for 10 minutes, do not stir slightly crisp and browned on the bottom. Add 800 ml of vegetable stock and simmer for around 20-15 minutes. Stir occasionally until you have a ragù consistency. Stir in 100ml of cream and simmer for another 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 220C
Combine both cheeses and basil in a small bowl.
Assemble the lasagne in a 30x20 cm rectangular dish. Spread one-fifth of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish, followed by a layer of lasagne sheets, then a layer of sauce, sprinkle 1/5 of cheese mixture. Repeat these layers three more times in that order, and finish with a final layer of sauce and cheese. You should have 4 to 5 layers.
Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, remove the foil, increase the temperature to 240C and bake for another 10 minutes, turning the dish round halfway. Grill for 2-3 minutes.
Let set for 5-10 minutes before serving.