Vegetarian Lasagna With Radicchio And Shiitakes Recipes

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the sauce: Put the olive oil and garlic in a medium pot over low heat. Cook the garlic, stirring occasionally at first and more often as it colors, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-low, add the onions and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, basil sprig, thyme and 1 teaspoon salt, raise the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a lively simmer. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until quite thick (if you draw a spoon through the sauce, you'll see the bottom of the pot for a few seconds before the sauce fills back in), about 30 minutes. As the sauce thickens, turn the heat down a bit so the bottom doesn't scorch. Stir in the chopped basil. Let cool to room temperature before assembling the lasagna. (Makes 1 quart.)
• To assemble: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Squeeze the spinach in your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Put it in a large bowl, and stir in the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg.
• Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lay 3 lasagna noodles across the sauce (they won't touch). Spread 3/4 cup tomato sauce on top. Dollop 1/3 of the ricotta mixture (about 1 cup) across the sauce, and use the back of a spoon to spread it (it will smush into the tomato sauce, which is fine). Scatter 1 cup of the mozzarella on top.
• Repeat the layering 2 more times. Top with the last 3 noodles, spread the last 3/4 cup tomato sauce over them and scatter the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top. Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray, and cover the baking dish.
• Bake until the noodles are soft and the cheese has melted, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the cheese is bubbling and the lasagna is slightly browned around the edges, about 15 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

RADICCHIO PASTICCIO (ITALIAN CHICORY LASAGNA)

Steps:

• Peel and finely chop the shallots. cut the taleggio cheese into cubes. Wash the radicchio and cut it into thin strips.
• In a frying pan or iron skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil. Cook the peeled and finely chopped shallots until they start to soften. Add the radicchio and cook for 10-15 minutes over a very gentle heat. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

ROASTED VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers with olive oil and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Line two large pans with parchment paper and roast vegetables 15 minutes. Rotate pans and roast an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
• Meanwhile cook lasagna noodles al dente according to package directions. Drain well.
• Combine ingredients for the cheese layer and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine tomatoes and marinara.
• Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce in a 9x13 pan and add 3 noodles. Top with half of the roasted vegetables.
• Add 1 cup of tomato sauce. Cover with 3 noodles and spread cheese layer over top. Add remaining vegetables.
• Top with remaining noodles and tomato sauce.
• Bake 30 minutes uncovered. Top with remaining cheeses and bake an additional 15-30 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
• Let rest at least 20 minutes before cutting.

MUSHROOM, RADICCHIO, AND SMOKED MOZZARELLA LASAGNE

Steps:

• In a large (12- to 14-inch) non-stick skillet heat 2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté radicchio, stirring, until wilted and golden. In a food processor pulse quartered mushrooms until chopped fine. Add chopped mushrooms to radicchio with salt and pepper to taste and sauté, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated.
• In a heavy saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour until smooth. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Whisk in milk in a stream and salt and pepper to taste and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes, or until thick. Stir sauce into mushroom mixture. Mushroom sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap.
• In cleaned skillet cook garlic in remaining 2 tablespoons oil over moderately low heat until softened. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden and liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Remove skillet from heat and cool. Stir in lemon juice.
• Reserve 1/2 cup smoked mozzarella for topping. In a bowl combine remaining smoked mozzarella with plain mozzarella.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Pour 1 cup mushroom sauce into a baking dish, 13 by 9 by 2 inches (sauce will not cover bottom completely), and cover with 3 lasagne sheets, making sure they do not touch each other. Spread about 1 cup sauce over pasta. Top sauce with one third of sliced mushroom mixture and half of mixed cheeses. Make 1 more layer in same manner, beginning and ending with pasta. Spread remaining sauce evenly over top pasta layer, making sure pasta is completely covered. Spread remaining sliced mushroom mixture evenly over sauce and sprinkle with reserved smoked mozzarella.
• Cover dish tightly with foil, tenting slightly to prevent foil from touching top layer, and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake lasagne 10 minutes more, or until top is bubbling and golden. Let lasagne stand 5 minutes before serving.

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA WITH RADICCHIO AND SHIITAKES

Steps:

• Make the white sauce: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk just to a boil over medium-high heat; keep warm.
• Melt the butter in another medium saucepan.
• Add the flour and stir over medium heat for 1 minute.
• Gradually whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth.
• Raise the heat to high and whisk the sauce until it boils and thickens, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking often, until no floury taste remains, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the salt, pour into a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and let cool.
• Make the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in a non-reactive medium saucepan.
• Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thick, about 20 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
• Transfer the tomato sauce to a bowl and let cool slightly.
• Stir in 1 cup of the white sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
• Spread the sliced radicchio on a large baking sheet and toss with 3 tblsps of the olive oil.
• Season with salt and pepper and broil for about 6 minutes, stirring often with tongs, until the radicchio is lightly browned and tender.
• Transfer to a large bowl.
• Turn the oven to 350°F.
• Heat 2 more tblsps of the olive oil in a large skillet until almost smoking.
• Add one-third of the shiitakes, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat without stirring, until golden-brown on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes.
• Stir the mushrooms and continue cooking until tender and browned all over, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
• Add the mushrooms to the radicchio.
• Repeat the process 2 more times with the remaining olive oil and mushrooms.
• Stir 2 ½ cups of the white sauce into the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
• Add salt to the boiling water.
• Working in batches, cook the lasagne noodles for 1 minute.
• Carefully transfer pasta to a bowl of cold water to cool, then drain on paper towels.
• Lightly butter a 9 X 13 inch nonreactive baking dish.
• Arrange ¼ of the noodles in the dish.
• Spread ¼ of the radicchio mixture over the pasta and sprinkle with ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese.
• Repeat the layering process 3 more times and cover with the remaining lasagne noodles.
• Spread the remaining ½ cup white sauce over the pasta and arrange the sliced mozzarella on top.
• Note: The assembled lasagne can be covered and frozen for up to 1 month, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
• Let return to room temperature before baking, then pour the milk around the sides of the lasagne.
• Cover the lasagne loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour.
• Remove the foil and continue baking for about 20 minutes longer, or until the lasagne is bubbling and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
• Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• Meanwhile, reheat the tomato-white sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with lasagne.

HOME/MADE MUSHROOM LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1/4 cup of the olive oil or herb oil. When it begins to shimmer, add half of the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add mushrooms and toss to coat, then cook until they begin to color but are still plump, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add white wine to deglaze pan and allow to cook down into a syrup, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Put the mushrooms into a large bowl and reserve.
• Meanwhile, in another bowl, toss the radicchio with 1/4 cup olive oil or herb oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the strips out onto a baking pan and place in the oven until the strips are lightly browned around the edges, approximately 15 minutes. Combine with mushrooms and reserve.
• Make the béchamel. Place a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. When it foams, add the rest of the shallots and cook until they begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir to combine, then cook until the garlic has started to soften. Sprinkle flour over the top and stir to combine, then cook gently until the mixture has turned light brown and gives off a nutty scent, approximately 10 minutes. Add milk to the mixture, whisking all the while, until the sauce is thick and creamy. Add the nutmeg and 1/4 cup of grated Gruyère and 1/4 cup of grated Fontina, then stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Reserve a cup of béchamel. Pour the rest over the mixture of mushrooms and radicchio, and stir to combine. Add truffle oil, if using.
• Assemble lasagna. Spread plain béchamel across the bottom of a 9- by-13-inch baking pan. Place a layer of lasagna sheets across the sauce, being careful not to overlap. Spread a generous layer of mushroom mixture on top of the pasta, and follow with some grated Fontina and Gruyère. Put another layer of pasta above the cheese, and top with smoked mozzarella. Repeat until the pasta is gone and the pan is full. Top with remaining cheeses and a generous amount of grated Parmesan. Cover with a buttered sheet of aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook until top is golden and bubbling.