Mushroom Lasagna with Creamy Béchamel

Lots of porcini, shiitake, and cremini mushrooms are smothered in a creamy sauce for this tasty entrée. The white sauce, or béchamel, for the lasagna is thinner than traditional ones. It will just coat the back of a wooden spoon, but it thickens and soaks into the noodles as the lasagna bakes.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• Mushroom filling:
• 2  cups  boiling water
• 1  cup  dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 2  cups  chopped onion
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 8  cups  sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 3  cups  sliced cremini mushrooms (about 1/2 pound)
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  Côtes du Rhône or other fruity red wine
• 1  tablespoon  low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh parsley
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh or 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 
  Béchamel:
• 3  cups  1% low-fat milk
• 2  tablespoons  butter
• 3  tablespoons  sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 
  Remaining ingredients:
• Cooking spray
• 1  (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

To prepare filling, combine water and porcini in a small bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Drain porcini through a sieve over a bowl, squeezing porcini to extract liquid. Reserve 1 1/2 cups liquid; discard remaining liquid. Rinse porcini, and drain. Chop coarsely; set aside.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add shiitake mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté 5 minutes or until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown. Stir in porcini, wine, and soy sauce. Cook 4 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in parsley and rosemary. Add the reserved porcini liquid; bring to a simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

To prepare béchamel, place milk in a 4-cup glass measure. Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes or until hot, stirring after 2 minutes. Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, stirring with a whisk, and cook 1 minute or until bubbly, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a simmer; cook over low heat 8 minutes or until sauce slightly thickens, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spread 1/2 cup béchamel in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over béchamel; top with 1/2 cup béchamel. Top with 1 cup mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers three times (dish will be very full). Cover with foil; place baking dish on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover lasagna; bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

304 (30% from fat)

Fat:

10.3g (sat 5g,mono 3.5g,poly 0.9g)

Protein:

17.5g

Carbohydrate:

37.4g

Fiber:

3.7g

Cholesterol:

21mg

Iron:

3.5mg

Sodium:

671mg

Calcium:

304mg