Good Housekeeping One-Dish Meals

Mushroom Lasagna

In northern Italy, lasagna is traditionally made with creamy béchamel sauce.

PREP 1 hour plus standing BAKE 50 minutes MAKES 12 main-dish servings

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms

¾ (16-ounce) package lasagna

noodles (about 16 noodles)

5 cups milk

5 tablespoons butter or margarine

cup all-purpose flour

pinch ground nutmeg

salt

ground black pepper

½ cup finely chopped shallots

1½ pounds white mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta

cheese

1 package (10 ounces) frozen

chopped spinach, thawed and

squeezed dry

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

cheese

1. In bowl, combine porcini and ¾ cup hot water; let stand 30 minutes. With slotted spoon, remove porcini; rinse to remove any grit. Chop and set aside. Strain mushroom soaking liquid through sieve lined with paper towel; set aside. Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles as label directs, but do not add salt to water; drain and rinse with cold running water. Return noodles to saucepot with cold water to cover. Set aside.

2. Prepare béchamel sauce: In 3-quart saucepan, heat milk to boiling over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes, stirring.

3. In 12-inch skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add shallots; cook 1 minute. Stir in white mushrooms, ½ teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper and cook 10 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Stir in porcini and soaking liquid; cook until liquid has evaporated. Remove skillet from heat; stir in parsley.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix ricotta, spinach, ¼ cup Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ½ cup béchamel. Drain noodles on clean kitchen towels.

5. In 13" by 9" glass baking dish, spread ½ cup béchamel. Arrange 4 lasagna noodles over sauce, overlapping slightly. Top with half of mushroom mixture, 1 cup béchamel, ¼ cup Parmesan, and 4 more noodles. Add all of ricotta mixture, 4 more noodles, remaining mushrooms, 1 cup béchamel, and ¼ cup Parmesan. Top with remaining noodles, béchamel, and Parmesan. Cover with foil; bake 30 minutes.

6. Uncover dish and bake lasagna 20 minutes longer, or until sauce is hot and bubbly and top is lightly browned. Remove lasagna from oven and let stand 15 minutes for easier serving.