Ingredients
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter
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2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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1 garlic clove, mashed
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3/4 teaspoon salt
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1/8 teaspoon black pepper
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2 cups boiling water
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1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (1 cup)
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1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
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1 pinch sugar
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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3 cups whole milk, heated
Instructions
- Make bechamel:
- Heat butter in a 2-qt heavy saucepan over moderately low heat until melted, then add flour and cook roux over low heat, whisking 3 minutes.
- Add hot milk in a fast stream, whisking vigorously, and whisk in garlic and salt.
- Bring to a boil, whisking.
- Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes, then remove garlic and add pepper.
- Make mushroom tomato sauce:
- Pour boiling-hot water over porcini in a bowl and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes.
- Lift out porcini, squeezing excess liquid back into bowl, then rinse to remove any grit.
- Pour soaking liquid through sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into another bowl.
- Chop porcini and add to soaking liquid.
- Cook onion in oil in a 12 inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-5 minutes, then stir in tomatoes with juice, sugar, porcini with soaking liquid, and 1 TBS basil.
- Simmer, stirring frequently, until tomatoes have broken down into a chunky sauce, about 25 minutes.
- Stir in salt and remaining TBS basil.
- Assemble and bake lasagne:
- Cook lasagne noodles in a 6-8 quart heavy pot of boiling salted water 8 minutes (Noodles will not be cooked through), then drain and transfer to a bowl of cold water.
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
- Spread 1 cup bechamel on bottom of a buttered 13 x 9" baking pan, reserving remainder for last layer.
- Drain 3 lasagne noodles in 1 layer on a kitchen towel and arrange over bechamel in baking pan.
- Spread pasta in pan evenly with one third of mushroom tomato sauce and sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese.
- Repeat layering of pasta, mushroom tomato sauce, and cheese twice, then cover with last 3 lasagne noodles.
- Spread remaining bechamel on top and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, until lasagne is bubbling and top is browned, 30-35 minutes.
- Let stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes before cutting.
- Note:
- *You can prepare bechamel and mushroom tomato sauces up to 2 days ahead of time.
- Cool uncovered and then chill separately, covered.
- Bring sauces to room temperature before using.
- *You can assemble lasagne 1 day ahead and chill, covered.
- Bring to room temperature before baking.