Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
• Salt
• 1 generous cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for keeping the noodles from sticking to each other
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 can tomato paste
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed in clean towel of excess moisture
• 1 pound lasagna noodles
• 1 container of ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 pound pecorino cheese, grated
• 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Set the mushrooms in a large 6 to 8 quart sauté pan over high or medium high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon now and then, or give the pan an occasional shake. A little squeaking from the pan is perfectly fine. Season the mushrooms with salt; they’ll start out sizzling, then begin giving off liquid. Don’t add any fat yet, since the mushrooms are cooking in their own moisture here.
2. When liquid begins to collect in the pan, add the chopped onions and stir them in. Continue cooking until the mushrooms stop giving off water and the liquid in the pan has cooked away, about 5 minutes more.
3. Pour in the olive oil and stir so the mushrooms are coated. Cook the mushrooms and onions for about 1 minute, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute longer. Set aside 1 cup of the tomato sauce for the bottom of the baking dish, then add the remaining 1 cup of tomato sauce to the mushroom mixture. Add the large can of crushed tomatoes and 1 cup water.
4. Stir in the thyme, sugar, and red pepper flakes. If you’re using dried basil instead of fresh, add it at this point. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat and let it bubble gently for 20 minutes.
5. While the sauce simmers, salt the boiling pasta water and add the dry lasagna noodles. The water should be boiling vigorously. Stir carefully so the noodles separate rather than clump together. Set a timer for 8 minutes, or use the cooking time on the noodle package. Boil them uncovered over high heat.
6. When the noodles are al dente, tender but still firm, drain them in a colander and run cold water over them to cool. As you rinse, use your fingers to carefully separate the noodles so they don’t cling together.
7. Coat a couple of large cookie sheets or baking sheets with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Lay the noodles out on the sheets, turning them lightly through the oil and spreading them apart. This keeps them workable while you finish the sauce and build the lasagna.
8. Turn off the heat under the sauce. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the reserved 1 cup tomato sauce across the bottom of a large casserole dish, preferably 10x15-inch. If your dish is smaller, you may need to create an additional layer as you assemble.
9. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles over the tomato sauce, letting them overlap slightly. For a 10x15-inch dish, you should end up with 3 layers of 6 noodles each, with 2 extra noodles left over. Scatter half of the ricotta over the noodles, then add half of the thawed spinach that has been drained and squeezed dry.
10. Add half of the mozzarella over the spinach, followed by a quarter of the pecorino. Spoon 1/3 of the mushroom sauce over the mozzarella, then sprinkle half of the fresh basil over the sauce.
11. Build the same layers again: add a 2nd layer of noodles, then the remaining ricotta, spinach, and mozzarella. Sprinkle on another quarter of the pecorino with the mozzarella, then top with another 1/3 of the mushroom sauce and the rest of the fresh basil.
12. Add the final layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over the noodles, then finish with the remaining pecorino or parmesan cheese.
13. Tear off a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the casserole dish. Rub a little olive oil on the side of the foil that will face the lasagna, then cover the dish and crimp the foil around the edges. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes, remove the foil, and continue baking uncovered for an additional 25 minutes.
14. Take the lasagna out of the oven when it has finished baking and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Once made, the lasagna will keep for 1 week in the fridge.