Meatless monday: Spinach Mushroom Lasagna
9 Barilla Oven-Ready
Lasagna noodles
2 (10-ounces) packages
of frozen chopped spinach
Extra Virgin olive oil
1 cup of diced onions
or shallots, sautéed
2 cups (8-ounces) sliced Baby Bella mushrooms, sautéed
¼ white wine
3 eggs
3 generous cups
of whole milk ricotta cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan- Reggiano, plus a little more for the top
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 cups grated mozzarella, divided
1 (28-ounces) can of crushed tomatoes or favorite red sauce
Pre-heat the oven to 375° F
Cook spinach; drain well and set aside. Add olive oil to a sauté pan and cook onions and mushrooms until lightly golden. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt, mixing well. Pour white wine in the pan while still hot and let cook and reduce slightly. Set aside.
Filling: beat the eggs and add to ricotta cheese. Mix until combined. Add the Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and garlic and the spinach and mushrooms mixture. Add 2 cups of the grated mozzarella. Mix to combine.
Begin assembly : cover the bottom of the pan with ½ cup of sauce. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles in the bottom. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over these noodles and spread evenly. Top with one third of the spinach filling. Cover with more noodles. Repeat until you have 3 layers. Finish with the sauce you have left. Sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.
Cover the top with aluminum foil, crimping the edges but leaving some room in the top to allow for air circulation.
Place pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the noodles are al dente. Remove foil and cover the top with 1-2 cups of finely grated mozzarella cheese. Place back in the oven, uncovered, and let bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbling.
MAKE AHEAD TIPS
You can make this lasagna in advance and freeze it after the first 25 minutes of cooking time. Let the lasagna cool, cover tightly with foil and freeze. You can bake from frozen or from a thawed state. Frozen will take longer and will need to be baked part of the time covered and part of the time uncovered.
Recipe by Elizabeth Karmel