Spinach Lasagna With Mushroom Ragu Recipes

SPINACH AND MUSHROOM LASAGNA

Steps:

• Stir the ricotta, spinach, mushrooms, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the mozzarella and parmesan.
• Spread about 1/2 cup marinara sauce in a thin layer in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover with a single layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (4 to 6 noodles), breaking them as needed to fit. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with about one-third of the remaining sauce, then sprinkle with about one-third of the mozzarella mixture. Repeat the layers (noodles, ricotta, sauce, mozzarella mixture). Top with the remaining noodles, then the remaining sauce and mozzarella mixture.
• Cover and cook on low, 4 hours. Uncover and let rest 15 minutes so the excess liquid is absorbed.

SPINACH LASAGNA WITH MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• Make the ragu: Soak the porcini mushrooms in 1 cup hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Chop; reserve the liquid.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes. Add the portobello and shiitake mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are soft, 5 more minutes.
• Add the porcini mushrooms; cook 2 minutes. Add the reserved porcini liquid, bring to a boil and cook until reduced slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups water and the bay leaves; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the parsley and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, stirring a few times, until thick, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. (You can make the ragu up to 1 day ahead; let cool, then cover and chill. Reheat before using.)
• Make the lasagna filling: Mix the parmesan, mozzarella and asiago; set 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture aside. Combine the remaining cheese mixture in a large bowl with the ricotta, eggs, spinach, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water; shake off the excess water.
• Spread 1 cup of the ragu in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add a layer of noodles, then half of the spinach mixture and 2 cups ragu. Repeat with another layer of noodles, spinach mixture and ragu. Top with the remaining noodles and ragu and sprinkle with the reserved cheese. Cover with foil, place on a baking sheet and bake 50 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 25 more minutes. Let rest before serving.

LASAGNA WITH SPINACH AND WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat a large frying pan over high heat and add the wet spinach. Wilt in the water left on the leaves, stirring until all of the spinach has collapsed in the pan. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, then drain and squeeze out excess water, taking up spinach by the handful. Chop fine and season with a little bit of salt. Set aside. (Alternatively, blanch for 20 seconds in salted boiling water).
• Clean and dry skillet and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Add mushrooms. Let sear without moving for about 30 seconds, then toss and stir in the pan until they begin to sweat, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn heat to medium and add minced garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until mushrooms are soft, 3 to 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a rectangular baking dish. Blend ricotta cheese with egg, water, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in spinach.
• Spread a small spoonful of marinara sauce in a thin layer over the bottom of the baking dish. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Top the noodles with a thin layer of ricotta. Spoon on a few dollops then spread it with an offset or rubber spatula. Top ricotta with half the mushrooms, then top with a layer of marinara sauce and a layer of Parmesan. Repeat layers, then add a final layer of lasagna noodles topped with marinara sauce and Parmesan. Drizzle on remaining olive oil.
• Cover baking dish tightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake 40 minutes, until noodles are tender and mixture is bubbling. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

WINTER LASAGNA WITH MUSHROOMS, SPINACH, AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Make mushroom ragu: melt 2 tablespoons butter in a big skillet over medium heat; add in mushrooms; saute for 4 minutes, until they give off their liquid and it reduces to a glaze.
• Stir in the chopped spinach, tarragon, and nutmeg; cook/stir for 1 minute; remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
• Make white wine veloute: put cut up 8 tablespoons butter and onion in a large, cool saucepan; set over medium-low heat; as the butter melts, stir often so that the onion is coated.
• Decrease heat to low and cook until the onion is very soft, almost caramelized, and golden, stirring often, about 12 minutes.
• Cover and decrease heat even further, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
• Meanwhile, position the oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 400°.
• Take the lid off the pan and sprinkle with flour evenly over the onion.
• Whisking constantly, cook just so the flour loses its raw taste and forms a paste with the liquid in the pan, about 20 seconds (do not brown).
• Whisk in the broth and milk in a slow, steady stream; increase heat to medium-low and continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the sauce starts to bubble and gets noticeably thicker, about 2 minutes.
• Whisk in the wine and continue simmering, whisking all the while, until thickened like a heavy cream sauce, about 2 minutes.
• Set the pan aside off the heat and give the mixture one more good whisking.
• Layer the casserole in a 13x9 inch baking dish as follows: ½ cup white wine veloute, spread across the bottom of the dish; 3 no-boil noodles, 2 cups white wine veloute, spread over the noodles with a rubber spatula; half the mushroom ragu, spread gently over the casserole, 1/3 of the grated cheese, 3 no-boil noodles, 2 cups white wine veloute; the remaining mushroom ragus; half the remaining cheese, the remaining noodles, the rest of the white wine veloute; and finally the rest of the grated cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, until bubbly and set, about 40 minutes.
• Let stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.