Triple Mushroom Lasagna

Lasagna, the pizza of pasta. Delicious sauce, a little filling, a lot of work. As unique as a your fingerprint, lasagna is anything you want it to be. I set out to make it with my favorite pizza toppings, mushrooms and green peppers. There is a reason people don't make lasagna every night, yet few dishes are as satisfying to make, serve and eat. Much like pizza,  I have yet to meet a person who would refuse a hot hunk of lasagna, and this one gets a special luxury of fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese, 2 locally grown mushrooms and a luxurious tomato cream sauce made with local tomatoes.


Tomato Cream Sauce
Since tomatoes are in season in every one's garden right now- this recipe is basically an elegant way to get rid of a lot at once. This is a great fake out vodka sauce, would be excellent for chicken or eggplant parmesan, and would be great spiced up with some chili flakes. This sauce freezes very well, and it is imperative that this sauce is salted after the liquid has been reduced by half or 2/3rds to ensure proper seasoning. If you have home grown roma, pear or plum (paste) tomatoes, 20-25 of those would be preferable, but since i had them, i used a combination of big beef and celebrity tomatoes. This recipe makes about a half gallon of sauce- because why make a little when you can make a lot and have some for later!?


15-20 medium sized tomatoes.
1 small white onion
2 large shallots
4 medium to large garlic cloves, peeled
1 large green pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried herbes de provence
2 tablespoons dried italian seasoning
2 teaspoons dulce or sweet smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste (after the sauce is completed)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup heavy cream

Wash the tomatoes, and remove any stems. With a paring knife, score each tomato with an "X" on the bottom to assist in peeling. In a large pot of salted water, boil the tomatoes for 3-4 minutes. Remove the tomatoes, and dunk them in ice water to stop the cooking. Peel each tomato, cut out the core and set aside in a large bowl. Using your hands, squeeze and squish the tomatoes until they are in small to medium sized pieces. Drain the tomatoes through a colander, or sieve and reserve the juices. Set aside 1 cup of tomato juice for the mushroom filling. Set aside remaining tomato juice, and get started on the vegetables for the sauce.

Heat a large pot (like the one you used to boil the tomatoes) on medium, and heat the olive oil until it shimmers in the pan. While the pan is heating, medium dice the onion, shallots and green pepper. Saute the onions and peppers until they are translucent and slightly brown. Add tomato chunks and turn the heat to high and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Reduce to medium low, and add dried herbs and whole peeled garlic.  If the mixture is too chunky- add some of the reserved tomato juice, (or if you're using roma or paste tomatoes- add water) until it is the consistency of a chunky soup. The mixture will reduce by half or two thirds, so start out by using less liquid so the flavors will concentrate, and take less cooking time. Simmer on medium low for 1-3 hours depending on volume and desired consistency. Stirring occasionally.  I like my sauce to reduce about 2/3 and be nice and thick.  Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture well. Add cream and stir well.  Add salt and pepper to taste.



Rustic Triple Mushroom Filling
Local mushrooms and fresh cheeses can be found at farmers markets, or a specialty food store like Ellwood Thompsons here in Richmond, VA. If you can't find wood ear mushrooms, use more shiitake, or any other mushroom you like. I like the wood ear for the meaty and interesting texture, as well as the smoky and woody flavors that play well with the funkiness of the fontina cheese.

1 package of Dave and Dee's Oyster Mushrooms
1/2 pound of local shiitake's- de stemmed and cleaned
1 package of dried wood ear mushrooms
1 cup tomato juice
8 ounces fresh whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese,  1/2 cup reserved for top of lasagna
8 ounces fresh buffalo mozzarella, or 2 large mozzarella balls. reserve 1/2 a mozzarella ball for top of lasagna
1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese (for top of lasagna only)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or vegetable oil
salt and pepper

Boil the reserved tomato juice (in a microwave is fine) and add the dried wood ear mushrooms. let the mushrooms steep for about 15 minutes. Heat a large stainless steel frying pan on medium high heat. Clean and de-stem the  shiitake and oyster mushrooms, and rip the caps into about 1 inch pieces. Heat oil in the pan until it smokes slightly, and saute the mushroom pieces until they are golden brown. Add reconstituted wood ear mushrooms and saute lightly. De glaze the pan with any remaining tomato juice.  salt and pepper lightly towards the end of the cooking. In a medium sized bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, shredded fontina and mushrooms.

Lasagna Noodles
1 pound good quality lasagna- preferably the kind with the ruffled edges. I do not recommend no boil lasagna- mainly because i don't have much experience with them.
2 tablespoons olive oil
salted water

In a large pasta pot, boil salted water, and cook lasagna noodles for 10 minutes- or until they are just a bit harder than al dente. drain the noodles and on a wire rack placed on a baking sheet, shingle the lasagna noodles - saving any broken noodles for a lasagna patch if needed. This process can be a tricky one- since the noodles will stick together if you wait too long, or you burn your fingers if you touch them too much. I recommend silicone tipped, spring loaded tongs for ease of handling, or brave fingertips.


Assemble the Lasagna
Preheat the oven to 400
In a large dark coated lasagna or deep rectangular metal pan, butter the sides and bottom. In the bottom of the pan ladle about 8 ounces of sauce into the bottom. Shingle 4 or 5 lasagna noodles at the bottom of the pan. Smear half the cheese and mushroom mixture over the noodles and top with 6-8 ounces more of sauce, and rip up one ball of buffalo mozzarella- or enough to cover the sauce. Repeat this process 2 or more times until your pan is full. Top the lasagna with shredded fontina, asiago and mozzarella cheese, and a couple grinds of fresh black pepper. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling from the sides of the pan and the cheese is golden brown. Let the lasagna sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes so it can set up and be sliceable. No matter how much you want to eat it right away, this last step is crucial. Nothing is worse than trying to eat molten lasagna quickly, and that is a lesson you only need to learn once. If the Lasagna pan is very full, place the pan on a foil lined baking sheet for accident prevention.


Serve with crusty garlic bread and a nice beer, and you've got yourself a date.

Special thanks to my sister Pizzalicious Lauren for helping me peel and squish tomatoes.

quick pasta for friends

Woah- its been a while since i posted! No-- i didn't stop cooking, and i have no excuses! i just don't spend a killer amount of time online like some bloggers.... but i vow to do better!

this pasta was so good, i just had to share. the sauce was creamy, the pasta was perfect, and the little pearl onions added excellent flavor and texture to the dish. the sensation of these perfectly cooked onions popping in your mouth with the flavors of the pasta was divine. the celery-which seems out of place, was a last minute addition-and provided some more texture, and reminded me of really good chowder. This simple pasta, with a few great ingredients is in contention for being my favorite pasta... ever.

Linguine with caramelized pearl onions, shrimp and a white wine cream sauce.

1 pound linguine
1 pound cleaned shrimp
2 cloves garlic, minced finely (about a tbl)
1 cup good, dry white wine- good enough to drink
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded asiago cheese
1 bag frozen pearl onions
1 stalk celery, cleaned and diced finely
1 yellow pepper, cleaned and diced finely
2 teaspoons dried herbes de Provence
olive oil
salt and pepper
(a couple tablespoons water or dry sherry/white wine)

caramelized pearl onions
1 bag frozen pearl onions
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch salt and pepper
olive oil to coat pan
(1 or 2 tablespoons water, or sherry/white wine if you're feeling fancy)

In a (not non stick- for the love of god- use a stainless- you'll want the extra flavor of the bits that stick for the sauce-but nothing burned) large pan heated over medium heat, add oil, and when oil is shimmering- saute frozen pearl onions for 5-6 minutes. when the onions start to show some color, add salt and pepper. saute for another couple minutes- the salt will help pull some juices from the onions, and help them caramelize. add sugar, and keep cooking. when the onions are a beautiful brown caramel color, and soft all the way through, remove the onions from the pan and set aside. If you have some sticking happen- don't add more oil- add a little water, or even a little sherry to the pan and scrape the bottom. you only want to add enough to prevent burning- and keep the integrity of the onions. this process can take some time- so i usually like to do some dishes, or clean up the kitchen a little while they're cooking-- but don't worry, it'll be worth it in the end.

in the same pan, heat a little more oil, and saute diced yellow pepper and celery. when they are about 1/2 way cooked, add minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. at this point, you should have a nice amount of coloring (called fond) in the bottom of the pan- good work!

Shrimp
make sure that your shrimp has been peeled completely, and is clean and washed. pat the shrimp dry and add a pinch of salt and a couple grinds od pepper. take the dried herbes de Provence in your hand and rub the herbes to release their flavor. add a drizzle of oil to the shrimp, and toss the shrimp with your hands, coating each with a little of the oil, salt, pepper and herbes.

cook the shrimp on medium in the same pan you've been using, and remove from the pan and set aside just before they're done- pink with a little grey- only about 1-3 minutes. We'll be cooking them a little more in the sauce (following).

in the pan with all the yummy bits, deglaze with white wine- scraping up the bits. once the wine has reduced by half, add your cream and simmer for 10-15 minutes-- just the right amount of time to cook your pasta. you'll want to cook your pasta in boiling water with a good amount of salt- but no oil. cook the pasta to your liking (al dente, or with just a little bite left for me and my friends) and drain- saving about a cup of the cooking liquid before you drain.

at this point- your sauce should the thick and creamy. add your cheese, and stir until melted. add your cooked veggies and shrimp- and any juices. stir, and season with salt and pepper if needed. add your pasta back to the pot, and pour the sauce over the pasta. mix well. if the pasta sauce seems too thick- add a little pasta water- about a quarter cup to thin it out. the starch in the water will help bind it together.

serve immediately, and enjoy, because i know you will.

butternut squash cavatappi with shrimp

I created this recipe on accident, when I was trying to make filling for a ravioli. The filling was too thin- but it was really tasty, so I made it a sauce instead. The sauce itself is a brilliant shade of neon orange pumpkin, which is exciting for adults and children alike.

Sometimes- when I'm feeling really crazy- I use roasted beets instead! The sauce turns the most ridiculous shade of pinky creamy purple and it delights me to serve this to people who have never eaten my cooking before. they look at this purply, coiled mess of pasta and look at me quizzically, and then look at their bowl, as I look at them with a huge eyes and an excited smile- watching them take that first bite only to be surprised that it actually tastes great. The fact that nature can make anything that orange or that purple still fills me with wonderment and hope for brave new dishes.

For a change like to add sauteed mushrooms and leek-- or even just a sprinkling of peas for a nice contrast. As a kid, when mom and I would go to the grocery store, I was obsessed with "peas and carrots" pea and carrot shaped gumballs that were a quarter for a giant hand full. I still have a special place in my heart for the vegetable combination, and my brain has been wired to see "peas and carrots" every time I see orange and green together.



Butternut Squash with Cavatappi and Sauteed Shrimp

1 medium sized butternut squash
1/2 a white onion, sliced into thin strips
3 cloves peeled garlic- whole
2 tsp rubbed thyme
1 small package unflavored goat cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 pound cavatappi or fun shaped pasta-- penne rigate works well too
1-1.5 pounds shrimp, peeled, de-vained, & tails removed
1 lemon cut unto wedges
salt and pepper
olive oil


preheat oven to 400
Peel the butternut squash, and chop into about 1 inch cubes. Place squash with peeled garlic on a baking tray, and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and rubbed thyme- bake at 400- shaking and tossing veggies-- they are done when the tip of a knife inserted into a larger piece of squash comes out clean and easy-- like a baked potato. You don't want much resistance- we're looking for done through - so the sauce will be velvety smooth.

In a blender or food processor, add squash/onion/garlic, 1/4 cup Parmesan, goat cheese. Blend until smooth. Taste for salt and pepper, add if needed. If mixture is too thick- add 1/2 to 1 cup pasta water to thin it out. While pasta is cooking-- preheat a non stick pan to medium with a little olive oil- and saute the shrimp until pink. Do not over cook-- take them off with just a shade of grey left in them- and cover with foil off of the heat. Combine cooked pasta, butternut squash puree, shrimp and toss well-- add pasta water if needed, and toss well. Serve with hot fresh bread, a sprinkling of cheese, and a lemon wedge one the side.

Great with basil or oregano-- or Italian seasoning on the squash. Good also with chicken cutlets, as a side to pot roast, or as a hearty vegetarian meal. Make it Vegan by subbing out vegan low fat cream cheese and nutritional yeast for Parmesan.