Ingredients
For the mushrooms:
1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt
1/2 cup fruity red wine, such as a Côtes du Rhône or Syrah
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground pepper
For the béchamel:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallot or onion
2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (may use low-fat milk)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the lasagna:
1/2 pound no-boil lasagna noodles
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup) or truffle cheese
Preparation
Place the dried mushrooms in a glass measuring cup and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Let soak 30 minutes. Strain over a 2 cup measure, reserving 1 1/2 cups liquid. Squeeze dry and chop coarsely.
Heat 1 T olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the shallots. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, then add the fresh and reconstituted mushrooms and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften and to sweat, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, 5-10 minutes. Add thyme and stir in the mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer, add salt, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant and the liquid has reduced by a little more than half, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until smooth and bubbling. Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer 10-15 minutes, until the sauce is thick. Season with salt and pepper. Strain while hot into the pan with the mushrooms.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil 2 8x8 pans. Boil noodles only until flexible, and using tongs,and set on a kitchen towel to drain. Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the dishes. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread a spoonful of the sauce mixture over the noodles and top with a layer of cheese. Repeat the layers (I get three layers per pan), ending with a layer of the sauce topped with cheese. Cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake uncovered for another 5-10 minutes.
top with truffle oil
