Serves12 (first course) or 8 (main course)
- Active time:1 1/4 hr
- Start to finish:2 1/2 hr
February 2005
Earthy porcinis with tart tomatoes in a creamy sauce make for a vegetarian appetizer or main course that even meat-eaters might love.
For Béchamel sauce
-
3
tablespoons
unsalted butter
-
2 1/2
tablespoons
all-purpose flour
-
3
cups
whole milk, heated
-
1
garlic clove, smashed
-
3/4
teaspoon
salt
-
1/8
teaspoon
black pepper
For mushroom tomato sauce
-
2
cups
boiling-hot water
-
1
oz
dried porcini mushrooms (1 cup)
-
1
cup
chopped onion (1 medium)
-
2
tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
-
2
(14- to 15-oz) cans diced tomatoes in juice
-
Pinch of sugar
-
2
tablespoons
chopped fresh basil
-
1/2
teaspoon
salt
For assembling lasagne
-
12
long ruffle-edged dried lasagne noodles (not no-boil)
-
5
oz
finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 3/4 cups; see cooks' notes, below)
Make béchamel:
-
Heat butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat until melted, then add flour and cook roux over low heat, whisking, 3 minutes. Add hot milk in a fast stream, whisking vigorously, and whisk in garlic and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes, then remove garlic and add pepper.
Make mushroom tomato sauce:
-
Pour boiling-hot water over porcini in a bowl and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Lift out porcini, squeezing excess liquid back into bowl, then rinse to remove any grit. Pour soaking liquid through a sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into another bowl. Chop porcini and add to soaking liquid.
-
Cook onion in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes, then stir in tomatoes with juice, sugar, porcini with soaking liquid, and 1 tablespoon basil. Simmer, stirring frequently, until tomatoes have broken down into a chunky sauce, about 25 minutes. Stir in salt and remaining tablespoon basil.
Assemble and bake lasagne:
-
Cook lasagne noodles in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water 8 minutes (noodles will not be cooked through), then drain and transfer to a bowl of cold water.
-
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
-
Spread 1 cup béchamel on bottom of a buttered 13- by 9-inch baking dish, reserving remainder for last layer. Drain 3 lasagne noodles in 1 layer on a kitchen towel and arrange over béchamel in baking dish. Spread pasta in dish evenly with one third of mushroom tomato sauce and sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layering of pasta, mushroom tomato sauce, and cheese twice, then cover with last 3 lasagne noodles. Spread remaining béchamel on top and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
-
Bake, uncovered, until lasagne is bubbling and top is browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes before cutting.
Cooks’ notes: - To finely grate Parmigiano-Reggiano and similar cheeses, use the small (1/8-inch) teardrop-shaped holes (not the ragged-edged holes) of a box or similar handheld grater. Other shaped holes, a Microplane rasp, and pregrated cheese yield different volumes.
- Béchamel and mushroom tomato sauces can be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled separately, covered. Bring sauces to room temperature before using.
- You can assemble lasagne 1 day ahead and chill, covered. Bring to room temperature before baking.
