Swiss Chard Lasagna With Ricotta And Mushroom Recipes

SWISS CHARD LASAGNA WITH RICOTTA AND MUSHROOM

Steps:

• For béchamel sauce:
• Bring milk and bay leaf to simmer in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk to blend. Cook 2 minutes, whisking almost constantly (do not let roux brown). Gradually whisk milk with bay leaf into roux. Add 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, nutmeg, and cloves and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, whisking often, about 3 minutes. Remove bay leaf. DO AHEAD: Béchamel sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface and chill. Remove plastic and rewarm sauce before using, whisking to smooth.
• For swiss chard and mushroom layers:
• Blanch chard in large pot of boiling salted water 1 minute. Drain, pressing out all water, then chop coarsely. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, half of garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until onion is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in chard and season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium- high heat. Add mushrooms and remaining garlic. Sauté until mushrooms are brown and tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Mix in nutmeg and season with coarse salt and pepper.
• For lasagna:
• Cook noodles in medium pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; arrange noodles in single layer on sheet of plastic wrap.
• Brush 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish with oil to coat. Spread 3 tablespoons béchamel sauce thinly over bottom of dish. Arrange 3 noodles in dish to cover bottom (2 side by side lengthwise, then 1 crosswise). Spread half of chard mixture over pasta, then half of mushrooms. Drop half of ricotta over in dollops and spread in even layer. Sprinkle with half of Fontina, then 4 tablespoons Parmesan; spread 3/4 cup béchamel over. Repeat layering with 3 noodles, remaining chard, mushrooms, ricotta, Fontina, Parmesan, and 3/4 cup béchamel. Cover with 3 noodles and remaining béchamel. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover with foil. Let stand at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake lasagna covered 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until heated through and top is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

MUSHROOM AND SWISS CHARD LASAGNA

Steps:

• Bring large pot of water to a boil. Remove stems from the Swiss chard leaves; cut stems into 1/2" lengths. Cut leaves into 1" strips. Add stems to boiling water, cover and cook 3 minutes. Add leaves, cover and cook another 3-4 minutes, until tender. Drain ad rinse under cool water; press out excess moisture.
• Heat oil in nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add mushrooms, cook stirring occasionally, 3-5 minutes, until browned. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring about 10 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and stir in Swiss chard and 2 cups marinara sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Whisk together egg, ricotta, 1/3 cup Parmesan, salt and pepper in a bowl. Put 3-4 lasagna noodles in large bowl and cover with warm water; let soak.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Spread about 1/2 cup marinara sauce in 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Place 3-4 dry noodles over sauce. Cover with 2/3 cup ricotta mixture. Top with 1 1/2 cups Swiss chard mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat layering two times.
• Lift soaked noodles from water, pat dry and arrange on top, cover with remaining marinara sauce. Tightly cover pan with foil.
• Bake 35 minutes and uncover. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and mozzarella. Bake uncovered, until noodles are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
• NOTE: Lasagna can be prepared ahead to step 7 and refrigerated up to 2 days.

LASAGNA WITH CHARD, TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you prepare the chard. Fill a bowl with ice water. Tear the leaves from the stems and wash thoroughly in two changes of water. Discard the stems or set aside for another purpose.
• When the water comes to a boil, add the Swiss chard leaves. Boil 1 minute (from the time the water comes back to a boil), until tender but still bright green, then remove from the water with a slotted spoon or skimmer and transfer to the ice water. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop coarsely and set aside. Cook the lasagna noodles in the same pot of water if not using no-boil lasagna. Remove from the pot and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil in a bowl.
• In a wide, nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, basil sprig, and salt (begin with 1/2 teaspoon and add more later), and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring often, until thick, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the amount of juice in the pan. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove the basil sprig. Stir in the Swiss chard and remove from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil a square or rectangular baking dish (no bigger than 2-quart) and line the bottom with a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread half the ricotta over the noodles and half the tomato-chard sauce over the ricotta. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the tomato-chard sauce. Add another layer of noodles and top with the remaining ricotta and tomato-chard sauce, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Finish with a layer of noodles and the remaining Parmesan. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes, or until bubbling and the pasta is tender. Uncover, allow to sit for 5 minutes, and serve.