Sundried Tomato and Chevre Lasagna

We’ve heard reports that this lasagna made some staunch carnivores consider turning vegetarian.

Ingredients (serves 8)

Bechamel Sauce

  • 8 T unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup red onions, minced
  • 1/2 cup AP flour
  • 5 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups chevre
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Tomato Sauce

  • 12 sundried tomatoes
  • 3 T. olive oil
  • 2 lbs. crimini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
  • 1/2 lb. spinach, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 T. chopped parsley
  • 1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 5 cups diced tomatoes with liquid
  • 1 lb. lasagna noodles
  • 2.5 cups shredded parmesan
  • 1/2 lbs. mozzarella

Directions

  1. Make the béchamel sauce: Heat one stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced red onions and cook for 5 minutes, until translucent.Add flour and cook for a few minutes. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until thick [20 – 25 minutes]. To finish, stir in chèvre, add nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Grease a 9″x 13″ baking pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. Cover dried tomatoes with 1 cup boiling water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain the tomatoes, saving the tomato liquid. Chop tomatoes, and set aside.
  3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, toss sliced mushrooms with olive oil, garlic and salt. Spread onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and cook at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. You can also cook over a sauté pan. To dried tomatoes, add oregano, parsley, and diced tomatoes, blending with an immersion blender. Add tomato liquid to loosen the mixture, and stir in mushrooms and spinach. Set sauce aside.
  4. Spread 2 cups tomato sauce in baking dish. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spread 1 cup béchamel over top; sprinkle with 1⁄2 cup of each cheese and 2 cups tomato sauce. Repeat layering 2 more times. Top with remaining noodles, tomato sauce, béchamel, and cheeses. Bake covered with foil on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Remove foil; raise oven to 450˚. Bake until golden, 15 minutes.