Meaty Mushroom Lasagna Food

BACON AND MUSHROOM LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a smooth paste. Cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the salt and bay leaf and bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, for 20 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
• For the lasagna: Meanwhile, add the oil and bacon to a large skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the bacon is crispy and golden brown and the fat is rendered, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme and remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and cook until fragrant, the vegetables are soft and the mushrooms have browned, about 5 minutes longer. Deglaze with the white wine. Simmer until the liquid is almost entirely evaporated, about 4 minutes. Stir in the reserved bacon.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Ladle and spread 1 cup bechamel on the bottom of the baking dish. Place a layer of pasta over the bechamel, breaking the pasta to fit the pan if needed. Spread 1 1/2 cups bechamel over the pasta. Spoon half of the mushroom filling over the bechamel and top with 3/4 cup Parmesan. Place another layer of pasta on top of the filling and repeat with the bechamel, the remaining mushroom filling and another 3/4 cup Parmesan. Layer on another layer of pasta and top with the remaining bechamel and Parmesan.
• Bake until golden brown and bubbly around the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow the lasagna to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

BEEF MUSHROOM LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the meat sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add the mushrooms, thyme and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and reserve.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in the Dutch oven over high heat. Add the ground beef and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until it browns, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onions, rosemary and oregano. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the onions soften, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan and reduce until dry, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, reserved mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce is deep red and has reduced to 6 cups, about 40 minutes.
• For the bechamel: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, sprinkle in the flour and whisk to form a paste. Add the milk while continuing to whisk, raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and creamy and has reduced to6 cups, about 10 minutes. Add the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt.
• To assemble: Butter the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch lasagna dish and cover with 3 lasagna sheets. Top with 1½ cups each of the meat sauce and the bechamel and sprinkle with ¼ cup of the Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining pasta, meat sauce, bechamel and Parmesan for a total of 4 layers, ending with ½ cup of Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake until bubbly, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top becomes golden, about 10 minutes more. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.