Mushroom-ricotta lasagne with port sauce recipe | members only access

DIRECTIONS 1. MAKE THE MUSHROOM SAUCE: Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with warm water. Soak for 10 minutes, then strain them through a fine-mesh strainer into a

separate bowl, reserving the soaking liquid and discarding any grit. Finely chop the mushrooms, discarding any pieces that are hard or tough. 2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over

medium heat until shimmering. Stir in the onion, salt, and a few pinches of pepper. Cook until the onion begins to release its moisture, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and the chopped

mushrooms. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the port and the strained mushroom soaking liquid. Continue to cook at a simmer over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until the pan is nearly

dry. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. 3. In the same saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour to form a roux. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk ½ cup of

the mushroom stock into the roux to make a paste, then whisk in another ½ cup of the stock to thin it. Gradually add the remaining 2 cups stock and, once it has been incorporated, add the

onion-porcini mixture, making sure to include any accumulated juices in the bowl. Increase the heat to medium and cook the sauce for 8 to 10 minutes, until it has thickened nicely. Taste and

season with additional salt if needed. If not using immediately, cool and refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 days. 4. MAKE THE MUSHROOMS AND LEEKS: In a large

skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Stir in the leeks, ¼ teaspoon salt, a few pinches of pepper, and the thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Add half of the garlic, cover, and

steam until the leeks are tender and slightly golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. 5. Wipe out the skillet and place it over high heat with 1½ teaspoons of the oil. When the oil is

shimmering, add half of the mushrooms and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few pinches of pepper. Cook the mushrooms, without stirring — at this point they’ll begin to stick to the pan, but

you want to let them get a good sear on the bottom — until they’re golden, then stir once and continue to sear for 1 to 2 minutes. Add half of the remaining garlic, stir again, then add

half of the port to deglaze the pan, stirring with a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits from the bottom. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with leeks. Add the remaining 1½

teaspoons oil to the pan and cook the remaining mushrooms as directed. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to the bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the chopped herbs, reserving the remaining 1 tablespoon

for serving. If not using immediately, cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. 6. MAKE THE RICOTTA CUSTARD: Stir together the ricotta and eggs in a bowl until well blended. Add the

Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, mixing thoroughly. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. 7. MAKE THE HERB BÉCHAMEL SAUCE: In a large saucepan, heat the milk

with the herb bundle over medium-low heat, until warmed through and fragrant, about 5 minutes. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking

continuously, to form a roux. Discard the herb bundle. Add ½ cup of the warm milk to the roux, whisking constantly to form a paste, then gradually pour in the remaining 2 cups warm milk,

whisking until smooth. Add the salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, whisking frequently, until the béchamel has slightly thickened and is smooth. 8.

ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNE: Reserve ¹/3 cup of the Parmesan (to sprinkle on top) and toss the remaining Parmesan and the Gruyère together in a medium bowl. Spread a third of the mushroom sauce on

the bottom of a deep 13 × 9-inch baking dish and cover it with one layer of the pasta sheets. Pour half of the remaining sauce over the pasta, followed by all of the mushroom-leek mixture.

Add another layer of pasta and spread the ricotta custard evenly over it. Add another layer of pasta and scatter half the Parmesan-Gruyère mixture on top. Add the remaining sauce, the

remaining Parmesan-Gruyère mixture, and the final layer of pasta, in that order. (You may have some pasta sheets left over.) Pour all the béchamel sauce over the lasagne, spreading it evenly

to cover the edges. (At this point you could cover and refrigerate the lasagne and bake it the next day; bring to room temperature while the oven preheats.)