This recipe is a riff on one I learned in a cooking class led by Liz Sofo –a gourmet wiz in the Greater Toledo area–in the late 90s. A local gourmet shop had a wonderful demonstration kitchen, and Liz was a dynamic teacher who mixed storytelling and humor as easily as she whisked sauces. I hadn’t made this recipe in over 15 years, and with my newfound skills, I was able to make it my own. Though the original recipe is for a standard-sized lasagna pan, I chose a glass 8×10″ pan instead. But do what’s right for you. This is a gooey mess of mushrooms and cheese –you can’t go wrong.

Ingredients

• 4 T olive oil
• 4 cups thin-sliced yellow onions
• 2 thin-sliced medium shallots
• 1 T fresh oregano
• 1 1/2 T minced garlic (about 5 cloves)
• 5 cups sliced mushrooms–I used a mix of portobello, cremini, and beech
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 2 T chopped fresh thyme
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1 t. ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup medium-bodied red wine with moderate tannins (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 1 cup beef broth —for a meat-free broth, replace with 1 cup vegetable broth and 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup full-fat milk or light cream
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
• 9 lasagna noodles, uncooked

The Mushroom Layer

1. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium heat until it shimmers. Add onions and oregano. Saute about until tender but not translucent.
2. Stir in garlic, shallots, mushrooms, oregano, parsley, and 1 tablespoon of thyme. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms have released their water (about 5 minutes).
3. Add wine and simmer for 5-7 minutes to infuse the wine into the mushrooms.
4. Turn off the burner.

The Cheese Sauce

1. You will start by creating a roux: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and nutmeg. Stir until the roux is smooth and bubbly.
2. Gradually stir in beef broth (or veggie broth w/Worchestershire) and milk/cream. Cook until sauce boils and thickens.
3. Stir in 2 cups of fontina cheese until it is melted and smooth; season with remaining salt and pepper.
4. Remove from burner.

Let’s Do This! Build the Lasagna

1. Heat the oven to 375°.
2. Arrange 1/3 of the uncooked lasagna noodles in a single layer.
3. Spread 1/3 of the mushroom mix and 1/3 of the cheese sauce on top. Sprinkle with 1 T of fresh thyme.
4. Repeat two more times with another 1/3 noodles, 1/3 mushroom, and 1/3 cheese sauce.
5. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of fontina, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Remove foil and broil 10 minutes longer until golden and bubbly.
8. Let stand for 5-10 minutes to firm up. Garnish with fresh parsley, thyme, and/or oregano.

Things I recommend: Shred your own cheese rather than buy it pre-shredded. Do not overcook the garlic–it is bitter when it burns. Part-skim mozzarella is fine but choose a good brand. When choosing a wine, look for a middle-of-the-road wine that isn’t too bright nor contains oak. The brightness will make the wine disappear; the oaky tannins will turn bitter.

Liz suggested the following substitutions: grilled asparagus with veggie broth and all mozzarella.