Ingredients

  • 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 15 TBSPS unsalted butter
  • 2 lbs. mushrooms, preferably cremini, cleaned and coarsely chopped
  • l medium onion, finely chopped
  • l l4oz can plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • fresh ground pepper
  • 1 llb. box lasagna noodles
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 6 ozs thinly sliced proscuitto

Method

  • Soak the porcini mushrooms in 2 cups warm water for at least 30 minutes. Lift them out carefully, reserving the liquid. Rinse porcini well, and pat dry. Chop coarsely and set aside. Strain the soaking liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel to remove the grit. Set aside.
  • Boil large pot of water with salt.
  • Heat the oil and 4 TBSPS butter in large skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook stirring until the liqid they release evaporates. Add the porcini and their liquid, along with the onion, tomatoes and parsley. Stir. Partly cover the pan, and cook until liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Lay the noodles in the boiling water and cook 5 to 7 minutes. Drain immediately, rinse individually under cold water and lay flat on paper towels to dry.
  • Heat oven to 425. Melt 8 TBSPS butter in heavy saucepan; add the flour gradually and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Raise heat to medium,and cook, stirring constantlly, until thickened and smooth, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with nutmeg and salt to taste.
  • Use 1 tbsp. butter to frease 8 1/2 x 10 1/2 lasagna pan. Line the bottom with a slightly overlapping layer of noodles. Spread one third of the mushroom mixture over the pasta. Top with a quarter of the white sauce and a sprinkling of cheese. Cover with slices of proscuitto.
  • Repeat sequence 2 more times. Cover with one last layer of pasta, top with the remaining sauce and cheese, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until cheese is melted amd golden brown on top. Let stand 10 min. before serving.