serves
8
prep
15 minutes
cook
1:35 hour
difficulty
Mid
serves
8
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
1:35
hour
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
Bechamel
- 115 g unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup plain (all-purpose) flour
- 5 cups full cream (whole milk), at room temperature
- 3 tsp kosher salt
- 1 dried bay leaf
Lasagna
- 3 tsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 225 g (8 oz) bacon, diced
- 900 g (2 lb) mixed mushrooms such as portobello, cremini, oyster or king trumpet, diced
- 2¼ tsp kosher salt
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ cup white wine
- Unsalted butter, for buttering the baking dish
- 12 instant (no-boil) flat dried lasagna sheets
- 2¼ cups freshly grated parmesan
Resting time: 15 minutes
Instructions
- For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a smooth paste. Cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the salt and bay leaf and bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, for 20 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- For the lasagna: Meanwhile, add the oil and bacon to a large skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the bacon is crispy and golden brown and the fat is rendered, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain off all but 2-3 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme and remaining 1¼ teaspoons salt and cook until fragrant, the vegetables are soft and the mushrooms have browned, about 5 minutes longer. Deglaze with the white wine. Simmer until the liquid is almost entirely evaporated, about 4 minutes. Stir in the reserved bacon.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Butter a 23 cm x 33 cm (9x13 inch ) baking dish.
- Ladle and spread 1 cup bechamel on the bottom of the baking dish. Place a layer of pasta over the bechamel, breaking the pasta to fit the pan if needed. Spread 1½ cups bechamel over the pasta. Spoon half of the mushroom filling over the bechamel and top with ¾ cup parmesan. Place another layer of pasta on top of the filling and repeat with the bechamel, the remaining mushroom filling and another ¾ cup Parmesan. Layer on another layer of pasta and top with the remaining bechamel and Parmesan.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbly around the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow the lasagna to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Note
• This makes a three-layer lasagna. If you would like more layers, simply switch to a slightly smaller baking dish and layer up!
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
