CHESTNUT MUSHROOM, SPINACH & RICOTTA LASAGNE

Ingredients 

​​Chestnut Mushroom Filling

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp Italian herbs
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 500g chestnut mushrooms
• 2 x 400g tins of cherry tomatoes
• Salt and black pepper to season

Olive Oil Béchamel

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 heaped tbsp plain flour
• 700ml semi-skimmed milk
• Salt and black pepper to season

Topping/ filling

• 250g ricotta
• 30g vegetarian Italian hard
• 50g mozzarella
• 200g lasagne sheets
• Fresh chopped basil

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Add the olive oil and onion to a pan and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes.
3. Then add in garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.
4. Add in the chopped mushrooms and season with a little bit of salt and pepper and let this cook down for 5-10 minutes until the mushrooms have reduced in size and turned more golden brown in colour.
5. Then add in Italian herbs, chili flakes and the tinned cherry tomatoes and let this simmer for around 15- 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, add 4 tbsp of olive to a pan and add in flour and cook for a few minutes stirring. Gradually add the milk and continue stirring so there are no lumps.
7. Let this cook for around 5–10 minutes stirring regularly, then add in the mozzarella and let them melt into the sauce.
8. Add the spinach to the mushroom and tomatoes and let this wilt and mix into the sauce.
9. In an ovenproof dish, start with a thin layer of the tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach then layer up the lasagne sheets, and add the half the tomato mixture and half then ricotta, another layer of pasta and then repeat.
10. Top with a final layer of pasta, then the béchamel sauce, and add the remaining cheese over the top.
11. Bake for 35 minutes until golden and bubbling and top with some fresh basil and chilli flakes to serve.