Week 43, Recipe 4: Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna

NOTES

• What a great way to use up a lot of spinach (and fresh basil). Whether it's from your garden, grocery store, or farmer's market, get it while you can! We just harvested our last crop last week until I plant again for a fall harvest.
• Recipe modified from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
• The recipe freezes well and can be made the day before and stored in fridge until ready to bake. If moving straight from the fridge to the oven, cooking time may lengthen a bit.

INGREDIENTS

• 15 oz ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese if it's a lot less expensive)
• 1 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 c. fresh minced basil
• As much spinach (chopped) as you want...I used a whole large ziplock full of fresh spinach
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 jar marinara sauce plus 1 small can crushed tomatoes
• Lasagna noodles, about 12-14
• 4 c. (1 lb) shredded mozzarella

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil lasagna noodles a few minutes shy of al dente. Drain and place on wax paper until ready to assemble lasagna.

2. Heat several tbsp of olive oil in a large pot (with high sides) over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute until browned. Add minced garlic and chopped spinach, freshly ground pepper and 1/4 tsp salt and saute for a minute or so, until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.

3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.

4. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 c. of the Parmesan, the basil, egg, salt and pepper until well combined.

5. To assemble:

• Spread 1/4 c. of sauce (a mixture of the marinara and crushed tomatoes) in the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan.
• Layer 4 noodles over top and then spread about half of the ricotta mixture over noodles.
• Spread half of the spinach mixture over ricotta.
• Sprinkle 1/3 of mozzarella over spinach.
• Spread 1/3 of remaining sauce evenly over the spinach.
• Repeat this layering - noodles, ricotta, spinach, cheese and sauce one more time.
• For the final layer, spread remaining sauce over noodles and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

6. Spray a sheet of foil with oil, cover the lasagna and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is browned and sauce is bubbling, about 20-30 minutes longer. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.