Dungeness Crab, Wild Mushroom and Pine Nut Lasagne

By es123

Ingredients

• For the béchamel sauce:
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup sifted flour
• 4 cups milk, hot
• Grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon porcini mushroom powder (optional – my addition)
• Salt
• For the pasta:
• 1 package of lasagne noodles cooked as per package directions
• For the fillings:
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 9-12 ounces Dungeness crab meat
• 1/4 cup freshly g rated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino-romano
• 1 ounces dried wild mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water (The original recipe called for 1/2 lb. button mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced.)
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 3/4 cup pine nuts

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C).
Grease the bottom of a 9X13 inch (23X33 cm.) baking dish with butter.
Line the bottom of the dish with a layer of pasta.
Spread the crab meat evenly over the pasta and cover with ¹⁄₃of the béchamel sauce and sprinkle with ½ of the grated cheeses.
Cover with another layer of pasta.
Spread the mushrooms evenly over the pasta then dot with the ricotta.
Spread ½ of the remaining béchamel sauce on top.
Cover with another layer of pasta.
Spread the remaining béchamel sauce on top, sprinkle with the remaining grated cheeses.
Scatter the pine nuts over all and bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, about 25-30 minutes.
Serves 8-12 as part of a larger meal or 4-6 as an entrée.

For the béchamel sauce:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C).
Toss the garlic in the olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil, bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes until soft.
Mash the garlic.
Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Be careful, as when milk boils over it goes everywhere and creates a first-class mess.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the flour, stirring or whisking constantly for about 1½-2 minutes.
Whisk in the hot milk and cook while stirring constantly, until it is the consistency of heavy cream. This should take about 30 minutes.
Whisk in the lemon zest, garlic paste, salt to taste and the optional porcini powder, if using.
Remove from heat. (If it will be some time before you assemble the lasagne, place a circle of plastic wrap over the surface to keep a skin from forming.)