Cheese and Mushroom Lasagna

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

50 g butter

1 onion, diced

1 large clove garlic, chopped

3 bay leaves

1 kg brown mushrooms, sliced.

2 cups vegetable stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste

300 g instant lasagna sheets

2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Bechamel Sauce

50 g butter

2 tablespoons plain flour

1/4 teaspoon powdered nutmeg

3 cups milk (full fat)

Make the Bechamel Sauce:

Put the butter in a medium-size frying pan and melt over a low heat.  Add the flour and the nutmeg and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the milk slowly, and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Put the oil and the butter into a large frying pan and cook the onion, garlic and bay leaves over a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock and the tomato paste, bring to a boil then simmer and reduce for a further 20 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Place one layer of the lasagna sheets on the bottom of a large baking dish and then spread over one-third of the sauce. Add one-third of the tomato and mushroom mixture and then one-third of the grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Repeat the process two more times and then finish with a layer of the lasagna sheets. Spread over the remaining bechamel sauce and then sprinkle with a little extra Parmesan. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden.

Serve with a green salad and warm, crusty bread sticks.