Let’s set the scene. Outside was gloomy and grey; I was hungry and sore from my afternoon run. Oh – and I was bored.
I rifled through the cupboards and discovered half a packet of semi-broken lasagne sheets. Well, here was a project to keep me busy.
It’s creamy, it’s cheesy, and it’s loaded with savoury mushrooms. I used shredded, pre-roasted chicken for protein, but I suppose you could skip this and add more mushrooms instead!
My recent in-between-jobs limbo has left me with hours a day to cook elaborate meals. I’ll give the recipe instructions the way I made this . . . but you can definitely cut down on methodology! For example, you don’t need to meticulously fry your mushrooms in five batches until every slice is perfectly browned. You could easily get away with two batches.
I used about 100-120 grams of dried pasta sheets, soaked in a large tray of warm water for ~30 minutes before layering. This cut down a little cooking time, which I was worried about since chicken tends to become dry. If you’ve got fresh lasagne pasta sheets – great! You can use these sans soaking – just remember that they weigh more than the dried sheets.
This dish can be egg-free and nut-free.
Serves 3-4
Cooking time: 1 hour
Preparation time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
Mushrooms:
– 2 Tablespoons butter (approximately), divided
– 300-400 grams button mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
– salt and pepper, to taste
– 1 Tablespoon olive oil
– 1/2 brown onion, peeled and finely diced
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– 2 bay leaves
– 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
Bechamel:
– 40 grams butter
– 3 Tablespoons plain flour
– 2 cups milk
– 2 Tablespoons cream cheese, optional (adds extra creaminess!)
– pinch mustard powder
– salt and pepper, to taste
– 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
To assemble:
– 2 large handfuls shredded, pre-cooked chicken
– 5 small sheets lasagne pasta, dried weight (see above notes)
– extra grated parmesan, for sprinkling
– panko breadcrumbs, for sprinkling
Method:
1. If using fresh pasta, proceed to step 2. If using dry pasta, lay these out in a large tray of lukewarm water to soak while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Place a large frying pan over high heat. Fry the mushrooms in batches, coating the pan with a knob of melted butter before each batch. I like to keep the batches small, spreading the mushrooms out in a single layer, seasoning with salt and pepper, and turning them over after they are golden brown.
3. When all the mushrooms are cooked, remove to a separate bowl and lower the stovetop heat to medium. Add the olive oil before tossing in the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and marjoram. Cook for a couple of minutes until softened and season with salt and pepper. Add this mixture to the bowl with the mushrooms.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (not fanbake). To make your bechamel, place a saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the butter and, when melted, whisk in the flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes before gradually whisking in the milk (very slowly!). Continue to whisk and cook the mixture until thickened. Remove from heat and incorporate in the cream cheese, mustard, salt/pepper, and parmesan.
5. To assemble the lasagne, choose a baking dish as close as possible in size to the lasagne sheets so they fit nicely without needing to trim them. Firstly, spread about a fifth of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and top with a sheet of pasta. Evenly sprinkle over half the mushroom/onion mixture. Spoon over a quarter of the remaining bechamel and a second pasta sheet. Top with a large handful of shredded chicken, a third of the remaining bechamel and a third pasta sheet. Sprinkle over the remaining mushroom/onion mixture, half of the remaining bechamel and a fourth pasta sheet. Top with the remaining shredded chicken and scrape over the remaining bechamel on top.
6. Sprinkle over a thin layer of breadcrumbs and parmesan before covering the baking dish with foil. You can also use a fitted lid. Place on a tray in the middle of your preheated oven and bake for ~30 minutes. At this stage, remove the tin foil or lid and increase the heat to 200 degrees Celsius (fanbake, if possible). Cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
7. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting. Serve with salad or vegetables of choice, and enjoy! 🙂
If you’re curious . . .
I served my lasagne with a random pea salad-type thing. I cooked some peas and added a spoonful of homemade coriander pesto, chopped sundried tomatoes, sliced spring onions, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, diced chilli, salt and pepper.
In all honesty, though, I think it’d best be served with a simple leafy salad. Some dark, leafy greens, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil – all topped with flaky sea salt!
Looks amazing! Love your recipes!