Ingredients

1½lbcremini mushrooms,roughly chopped

½lbshiitake mushrooms,roughly chopped

¼tspsalt

1cuponions,generous, chopped

¼cupextra virgin olive oil,plus more for keeping the noodles from sticking to each other

4clovesgarlic,(about 4 tsp), chopped

6oztomato paste,(1 can)

2cupstomato sauce

28ozcrushed tomatoes,(1 can), such as Muir Glen with basil

1cupwater

1tbspdried thyme

½tspred pepper flakes

1tbspsugar

20ozfrozen chopped spinach,(2 boxes), thawed and squeezed in clean towel of excess moisture

1lblasagna noodles,(16 to 20 noodles)

16ozof ricotta cheese,(1 container)

¼cupfresh basil,chopped

¼lbpecorino cheese,or Parmesan, (about 1 cup), grated

1lbmozzarella cheese,(about 4 cups), shredded

Preparation

Place mushrooms in a large (6 to 8 quart) sauté pan on high or medium-high heat. Stir them with a wooden spoon or shake the pan from time to time.

Sprinkle salt over the mushrooms. The mushrooms will sizzle and then start to release water. (No fat is added to the pan at this point. This method of cooking mushrooms in their own moisture is called “dry sautéing.”)

Once the mushrooms start to release water into the pan, stir in the chopped onions. Cook for about 5 minutes more until the mushrooms are no longer releasing moisture and the mushroom water has boiled away.

Add the olive oil to the mushrooms and stir to coat. Sauté the mushrooms and onions for about 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute.

Stir in the tomato paste, cook for 1 minute longer. Reserve 1 cup of the tomato sauce (it will go in the bottom of the casserole dish), and put the remaining cup of tomato sauce into the pot with the mushrooms.

Add the large can of crushed tomatoes and one cup of water.

Stir in the thyme, sugar, and red pepper flakes. (If using dried basil instead of fresh, add it now.) Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer on a low simmer for 20 minutes.

Once the sauce is simmering, salt the boiling pasta water, and add the dry lasagna noodles to the boiling water.  (The water should be at a vigorous, rolling boil.)

Stir gently, making sure that the noodles are not sticking to each other. Set the timer for 8 minutes, or however long is indicated on the package of the noodles. Cook uncovered on a high boil.

When the noodles are ready (al dente, cooked through but still firm to the bite), drain the noodles in a colander, and rinse them to cool them with cold water.  While rinsing, gently separate them with fingers so they don’t stick to each other.

Prepare a couple of large cookie sheets or baking sheets by spreading a tablespoon of olive oil over the baking sheets.

Place the lasagna noodles on the sheets, gently coating them with a bit of that olive oil, and spreading them out. This will help keep them from sticking to each other while finishing the sauce and prepare the layered casserole.

Turn off the heat on the stovetop for the sauce. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the 1 cup of reserved tomato sauce over the bottom of a large (preferably 10×15-inch) casserole dish. (If the casserole dish is smaller, add another layer while going through this step.)

Place a layer of lasagna noodles down over the tomato sauce, slightly overlapping. (For our 10×15-inch dish, fit 3 layers of 6 noodles each, with 2 extra noodles on which to nosh.)

Sprinkle half of the ricotta cheese over the noodles, and half of the defrosted, drained and squeezed out spinach over the ricotta.

Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese over the spinach, and just a quarter of the pecorino cheese. Then spoon ⅓ of the mushroom sauce over the mozzarella. Sprinkle half of the fresh basil over the sauce.

Repeat the layering process. Place the second layer of noodles over the sauce. Spread the remaining ricotta, spinach, and mozzarella over the noodles.

Sprinkle another quarter of the pecorino along with the mozzarella. Top with another third of the mushroom sauce and the remaining fresh basil.

Layer the final layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread the remaining sauce over the lasagna noodles, and sprinkle with the remaining pecorino or parmesan cheese.

Pull out a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to cover the casserole dish. Spread a little olive oil over the inside of the piece of foil (the side that will have contact with the lasagna). Place the foil over the casserole dish and crimp the edges.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 25 minutes.

Take the lasagna out of the oven when done and let it rest 10 minutes before cutting to serve. Once made, the lasagna will last a week in the fridge.