350 g lasagna sheets; or 450 g fresh
10 sun-dried tomatoes; (not oil-packed)
20 g dried porcini mushrooms
325 ml skimmed milk
3 tablespoons plain flour; + 1 teaspoon
50 g reduced fat cream cheese
250 ml spaghetti sauce; prepared
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper; to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion; chopped
1 small carrot; chopped
2 cloves garlic; crushed
350 g fresh mushrooms; sliced
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary; chopped
25 g Parmesan cheese; grated
675 g butternut squash; peeled, thinly sliced
Yield: 8 servings
In large pot of boiling water, cook lasagna until barely tender (8 minutes for dried, 1 minute. for fresh). Drain and rinse under cold water. Spread the lasagna on clean kitchen towels, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine sun-dried tomatoes and dried porcini mushrooms. Add 250 ml boiling water, cover and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Lift out vegetables and chop. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve and set aside.
In a saucepan, heat 250 ml of the milk over medium heat until steaming. Meanwhile, put 3 tablespoons flour in a small bowl and gradually whisk in the remaining 75 ml milk until smooth; whisk into the hot milk and stir constantly over the heat until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens. Continue cooking and stirring for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk in cream cheese, then 2/3 of the spaghetti sauce and the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In large nonstick frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and garlic and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms, rosemary and reserved tomatoes and porcini, cook until the fresh mushrooms are just wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir the remaining teaspoon of flour into vegetables. Add reserved soaking liquid and remaining spaghetti sauce. Cook until mixture thickens, about 1 min. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 200 C / 400 F / Gas 6. Lightly oil a 22 x 33 cm baking dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Smear the bottom of the prepared dish with 1/3 of sauce. Line the bottom with a single layer of lasagna. Spread half of the mushroom mixture over the lasagna and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Add another layer of lasagna, arrange butternut squash on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread 1/3 more sauce over all. Add another layer of lasagna, followed by remaining mushroom mixture, and 2 more tablespoons of Parmesan. Finish with remaining lasagna and sauce. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
Lightly oil a large piece of alum. foil or coat with cooking spray. Tightly cover the dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more or until lightly browned and bubbling. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.