Béchamel is a simple white sauce with butter and flour, fluttered with milk. Flavor enhancers often include a little lemon zest, ground nutmeg, dried or fresh herbs, or cheese, as in this recipe.
Shredded pepper jack may not be a typical cheese to use in béchamel. Still, it does add a delicious, spicy zip to the mild, creamy sauce and layers this vegetarian lasagna with a silky texture and a creamy, cheesy taste.
- Serving: 7-9
- Time: 50 mins-1 hour
Ingredients
For the Lasagna
- 1 butternut squash, 2 3 lbs, cut and peeled into 1/4-inch half-moon slices
- 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced (thinly)
- 5 scallions, green and white parts separated; green parts chopped and put aside
- olive oil, for oiling and drizzling baking dish
- Ground black pepper (fresh)
- Italian dried herb mix for garnish.
- 1 fifteen-oz box part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- sea salt
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
For the Béchamel
- 3 tbsp butter (unsalted)
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1-pint half-and-half
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup grated pepper jack cheese
- sea salt
Method
For the Lasagna
- Preheat the oven to 370° F. Line a shallow, large baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place the cut mushrooms, butternut squash, and white parts of the scallions on the pan and drizzle with oil. Season with pepper and salt and toss or stir to coat. Roast 15 minutes, beating halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and decrease the oven temperature to 350° F. Let the vegetables cool for ten minutes, then place the scallions on a cutting board and chop.
- In a large container, mix the mushroom, squash, white and reserved green parts of the scallion, ricotta, lemon zest, and Parmesan. Mix gently to blend, trying not to break up the squash into little pieces.
- Meanwhile, cook the lasagna noodles in boiling water (salted) for seven minutes, until al dente. Rinse and drain under cold water.
For the Béchamel
- Melt the butter in a bowl over medium heat. Flutter in the flour a little at a time and proceed to whisk until combined for 3 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in the half-and-half, regularly stirring to check lumps. Stir in the pepper jack cheese until melted. Season with pepper and salt and decrease the heat to low.
- Cook, continually stirring, until the sauce is slightly thickened for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover.
To Bake and Assemble
- Lightly oil a baking dish and place four lasagna noodles in the bottom, slightly overhanging. Spread half the butternut mixture on the noodles.
- Spoon 1/4th of the béchamel over the top, softening as much as possible. Repeat the layer with four more noodles, the rest of the butternut mixture, and 1/4th of the sauce.
- Finish the dish with four noodles and lay the remaining sauce on top. Spread the grated Parmesan cheese over all and spray with dried herbs.
- Bake unsealed until bubbly and starting to brown on top for 40 mins.
Your Mushroom Lasagna With Pepperjack Bechamel is ready.
