Il Cucinologo
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Mountain Lasagne

17/11/2023

Mountain lasagne are a variant of classic lasagne alla bolognese, which calls for typical ingredients from mountainous regions, such as mushrooms and often sausage or game meat. Here I describe a version that includes porcini mushrooms, a very common ingredient in Italian mountain recipes.

Ingredients

  • 300 g egg lasagne (fresh or dried, which require pre-cooking)
  • 500 g fresh or frozen porcini mushrooms
  • 300 g sausage or ground wild boar meat
  • 250 g béchamel
  • 200 g grated cheese (Parmesan or Pecorino)
  • 1 onion
  • Garlic (to taste)
  • Chopped parsley
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. Start by cleaning the porcini mushrooms and cutting them into pieces. Finely chop the onion and garlic.
  2. In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic in extra-virgin olive oil. Add the ground meat and let it brown.
  3. Add the porcini mushrooms to the pan with the meat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and their liquid has evaporated.
  4. Prepare the béchamel following your favorite recipe or these basic instructions: melt some butter in a pot, add flour to form a roux, then gradually add hot milk, stirring continuously until the sauce becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
  5. If using dried lasagne, pre-cook them in salted water following the manufacturer’s instructions; if using fresh lasagne, you can skip this step.
  6. Assemble the lasagne in a baking dish lightly greased with oil. Add a first layer of lasagne, then some of the meat and mushroom mixture, a sprinkle of grated cheese, and some béchamel. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel and a generous sprinkle of grated cheese.
  7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-40 minutes, or until the surface is golden and crisp.
  8. Let the lasagne rest for a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley for a touch of color and flavor.

Remember that this recipe is only a base; you can customize it with other typical mountain ingredients you prefer or have on hand, such as speck, truffle, or other types of mushrooms. Enjoy!