La La La…Lasagna!

The origin of lasagna is in dispute among food
historians. Three countries with distinct cuisines all claim to have invented
it. One theory is that lasagna comes from Greek word for a flat sheet of pasta
dough cut into strips.  This word still
used in Greek to mean a flat thin type of unleavened bread. Did they invent
this layered dish of pasta, sauce and cheese?

It is believed the Romans came up with the Latin word
“lasanum” in meaning “cooking pot”. Later, the Italians
used the word to refer to the dish in which lasagna is made. Following that,
the name of the food took on the name of the serving dish.

Contrarily, some British food historians claim the
original recipe was printed in the first cookbook ever published—in
England—therefore it must be British in origin. They have mostly given up that
claim since we all know Britain cannot hold a candle to Italy when it comes to
cooking!  Besides, pasta with sauce is a
truly Italian concept.  Nowadays, most
folks don’t really care where it comes from as the recipes have changed over
the years to include vegetables and both red and white sauces.

In Italy, lasagna noodles are totally flat, while
American lasagna tends to be ruffled along the edges to help trap sauces. The
best noodles are made from Durum wheat; a particularly hard wheat which stands
up to extended cooking, remaining chewy and firm even after boiling and baking.
Some cooks prefer to use special no-boil lasagna noodles, which are layered
into a lasagna pan without being precooked. The moisture in the lasagna and the
heat of the oven cook these noodles so that they are finished along with the
rest of the lasagna.

We’re sure you’ve got plenty of recipes for traditional
lasagna; we thought you’d like something a little different. This one contains
no tomato sauce at all!

Mushroom Lasagna

9 lasagna noodles

1 cup boiling water

1 ounce dried porcini, shiitake or oyster mushrooms

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 shallots chopped

12 ounces mushrooms, sliced (a variety adds flavor)

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, checked and chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced and divided

1/2 cup white wine

3 ounces low fat cream cheese

3 cups low-fat milk, divided

¼ cup flour

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 Preheat oven to
350°. Grease a 2-3 quart baking dish.

Cook noodles according to directions. Drain and set
aside.

Combine 1 cup boiling water and dried mushrooms. Cover
and let stand 30 minutes; strain mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve over
a bowl, reserving liquid and mushrooms separately.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add
1 tablespoon oil to pan; add shallots to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add fresh
mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sauté 5-7 minutes or
until mushrooms are browned. Add parsley and half the garlic; sauté another
minute. Stir in wine; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until liquid almost
evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Remove from heat; stir in
cream cheese and 1 tablespoon chives. Add reconstituted mushrooms.

Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add remaining oil
to pan; swirl to coat. Add remaining garlic cloves to pan; sauté 30 seconds.
Add the reserved mushroom liquid, 2 3/4 cups milk, remaining salt, and pepper;
bring to a boil. Combine remaining milk and flour in a small bowl; stir with a
whisk. Add flour mixture to milk mixture, and simmer 2 minutes or until
slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk.

Spoon 1/2 cup sauce into the prepared baking dish and top
with 3 noodles. Spread half of mushroom mixture over noodles. Repeat layers,
ending with remaining sauce. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake at 350° for 45
minutes or until golden.