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"Hold the meat!" says Rach about her easy "retake" on lasagna. Instead of the typical ground beef or sausage, it's filled with mushrooms, which actually deliver a meaty flavor. "Whether you are a meat-eater or a meat-freer," she explains, "you're going to love this!" She makes it in a cast-iron skillet instead of a casserole dish because, as she puts it, it's kind of rustic and sexy and cool. "Winner-winner, layered dinner!" 

For more lasagna inspiration from Rach, check out her Three Cheese Rolled Lasagna and Spinach Lasagna with Tomato-Basil Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 pound flat pasta squares or sheets, dried
  • Salt
  • 3 cups vegetable stock or water or combo
  • 1 cup dried porcini
  • 3 tablespoons EVOO
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds fresh mixed mushrooms, cleaned and sliced or pulled into thin pieces
  • Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 cups diced fresh peeled tomatoes or chopped canned tomatoes (28 ounces)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup torn basil leaves
  • 2 cups grated cow's and sheep's milk cheese (pecorino and Parm) combined
  • Fresh parsley, stemmed and chopped, for garnish

Yield

Serves: 4 to 6

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.   

Parboil pasta sheets about 7 minutes in generously salted water, then layer in parchment and cover with towel. 

Simmer and steep the stock and dried porcini, remove when plump and save stock. Chop porcini.   

Heat EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, in large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot and sweat to soften a bit, then add fresh mushrooms, pepper, thyme and garlic. When they soften, add salt and stir in tomato paste, then add wine and tomatoes, reduce by half and add cream, porcini, stock and basil.

Rachael Ray 12-Inch Cast Iron Frying Pan

Rachael Ray 12-Inch Cast Iron Frying Pan

Rachael Ray
$70

Assemble layers in a large cast-iron skillet: sauce, pasta (torn or cut to fit), cheeses; repeat to the top. Cover and bake 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes. Top with chopped parsley and serve.