Lasagne Recipe

Mushroom Vegetarian Lasagna

1 pkg (10 oz/284 g) fresh spinach (I use one 10 oz bag)

3 tbsp. olive oil

3 shitake mushrooms, finely chopped

1 portobello mushroom (4 oz/125 g), finely chopped (I use 3) (and I use some regular mushrooms thrown in – everything finely chopped)

1 large shallot or small onion, finely chopped

1 jar (700 ml) spaghetti or pasta sauce (Bertolli Five Bros. Pasta, summer Tomato Basil) I use Classico)

1 jar (6oz/179g) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (I use 1 tin regular artichoke hearts)

1 1/2 tsp black pepper

8 oz (250g) spinach lasagna noodles (I use fresh plain ones)

8 oz bocconcini or mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated (I use one Bari package)

8 oz mascarpone or ricotta cheese

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Rinse and trim spinach, shaking off excess water. In saucepan, cook spinach, covered with just the water clinging to the leaves, over med-high heat for about 5 min. or until wilted. Drain in sieve, reserving cooking water. Press out excess moisture from spinach, chop coarsely and set aside. Penny didn't do this: she simply chopped the spinach and added it to the saucepan at Step #3.

2. In a large saucepan, heat oil over med-high heat. Cook shitake and portobello mushrooms and shallot, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in sauce, artichoke hearts, spinach and pepper. Add enough water to reserved cooking water to make 2/3 cup. Penny added artichoke water from the can. Stir water into sauce mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles for about 8 minutes or until tender but firm. Drain. Penny bought fresh pasta--no pre-cooking. Penny's getting impatient and lazy in her old age.

5. Spread about 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Cover with one-quarter of the noodles, then one-quarter of the sauce. Top with one-third of the mozzarella cheese, then one-third of the ricotta, then 1/4 cup of the parmesan. Repeat the layers twice.

6. Arrange remaining noodles over the top, spread with remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining parmesan.

7. Bake at 350 F oven for 30-40 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

If using uncooked noodles, add more sauce liquid.

Brenda used 2 portobello mushrooms and regular mushrooms.