Ingredients
Yields: 8 servings
1 (9-ounce) package pre-cooked lasagna sheets
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 sprig fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons canola oil (or any neutral oil)
40 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced lengthwise
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 (25.5-ounce) jar tomato sauce
1½ cups mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons bread crumbs, ground into a fine powder
¾ cup all-purpose flour
4½ cups milk, warm
1 tablespoon salt
1¼ teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup sweet basil leaves, freshly snipped
Directions
Preparing the onions: Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add 1 onion and thyme and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are softened. Add the soy chorizo and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cooking the onions and mushrooms: In a deep, non-stik saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the remaining sliced onions. Cook until nicely golden and tender (it may take up to 5 minutes). Add the garlic. Cook for a minute, then add the mushrooms. Sauté until softened. Transfer to a plate, leaving as much oil as possible in the saucepan. Let cool. Some liquid from the mushrooms will be at the bottom of plate. Set aside.
For the béchamel sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat; you don't want it to burn. Bring the heat back up to medium-high (the butter should be hot and golden) and add the flour. Keep stirring manually with a whisk for approximately 3 minutes. The flour should absorb the butter and form a paste. Add the milk in 3 stages and stir well until fully incorporated. Increase the heat while constantly stirring for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add ½ cup each of mozzarella and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Add the liquid from the mushrooms if the sauce is too thick (I did). Let cool.
Assembly time:
Check the consistency of the béchamel sauce. If it's too thick, thin the sauce with the mushroom liquid (up to 1 cup).
In a 10” x 14” x 3” high rectangular pan sprayed with oil (for easy clean up), spread a layer of reserved onions and the tomato sauce first, then layer 4½ sheets of the lasagna. Spread a layer of mushroom mixture evenly. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and a few tablespoons chopped basil. Spread 2 to 3 ladles of the béchamel sauce, then add another 4½ sheets of lasagna. Repeat the same layers until all the ingredients are used up. Finish with the rest of the béchamel sauce. It should cover the whole tray; top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and place in the oven for 30 minutes at 375°F (until golden brown).
When it's cooked, remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes. Cut into squares.
Serve immediately.
Bon appétit!
Tips
I prefer using dry lasagna sheets. I use Barilla brand lasagna that's already pre-cooked. The heat and moisture of the béchamel sauce will cook and soften the lasagna sheets. I think it's better to control the level of liquid and to produce a denser consistency. You definitely don't want soggy lasagna! When you use dry pasta, you'll get good results and you'll also save some time.
