Open Lasagna with Mushrooms

Open lasagna with creamy chanterelle sauce, butter-fried chanterelles, and crispy fried parsley is an elegant yet rustic dish that captures the flavors of the forest in every bite. This makes four large and very filling portions. If you prefer smaller portions to serve eight, you can either cut the lasagna sheets in half and build four layers or use whole sheets but only make two layers.

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You will need

16 fresh lasagna sheets

Sauce

10.5 oz (300 g) dry-sautéed yellow chanterelles

1 ¼ cups (300 ml) shallots, finely chopped

1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp-1 tbsp (5 ml-15 ml) red chili, finely chopped (amount depending on chili type and desired heat)

3 tbsp (45 ml) butter

2 mushroom bouillon cubes

1 ¼ cups (300 ml) heavy cream

1 ¼ cups (300 ml) crème fraiche

1 tsp (5 ml) honey

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 cups + 1 tbsp (500 ml) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Toppings

¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) chanterelles, sautéed in butter

Neutral oil for frying

1⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) parsley leaves, fried

Red chili, thinly sliced

How to make it

1. Prepare all ingredients that is to be peeled, chopped, and grated. Place each ingredient in its own bowl or pile to keep things organized.

1 ¼ cups (300 ml) shallots, finely chopped

1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp-1 tbsp (5 ml-15 ml) red chili, finely chopped (amount depending on chili type and desired heat)

2 cups + 1 tbsp (500 ml) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Red chili, thinly sliced

2. Heat a small frying pan or saucepan with a neutral oil suitable for deep frying. Add the parsley leaves and fry until crispy. Remove and let drain on paper towels.

Neutral oil for frying

1⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) parsley leaves, fried

3. In a large sauté pan, add the chanterelles reserved for topping. Cook over medium heat until all the moisture has evaporated. Then add butter and sauté until crispy. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

1 ½ tbsp (22 ½ ml) butter

¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) chanterelles, sautéed in butter

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4. In the same sauté pan, add the remaining pre-cooked chanterelles. Cook until all excess liquid is gone. Then add butter, shallots, garlic, and chili. Sauté, stirring regularly, until the chanterelles are crispy and the onions have softened.

10.5 oz (300 g) dry-sautéed yellow chanterelles

1 ¼ cups (300 ml) shallots, finely chopped

1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp-1 tbsp (5 ml-15 ml) red chili, finely chopped (amount depending on chili type and desired heat)

1 ½ tbsp (22 ½ ml) butter

5. Crumble the mushroom bouillon cubes into the mushroom-onion mixture and stir well. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

2 mushroom bouillon cubes

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

6. Gradually add the heavy cream, letting it cook into the mushroom mixture. Stir in the crème fraiche and season with honey, salt, and pepper to taste. Let the sauce cool slightly. Remove about 1/2 cup of the sauce and set aside. Blend the remaining sauce until smooth, then pour it back into the pan and mix with the reserved (chunky) sauce. Set aside while you prepare the rest.

1 ¼ cups (300 ml) heavy cream

1 ¼ cups (300 ml) crème fraiche

1 tsp (5 ml) honey

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt after the water is boiling. Cook the lasagna sheets for about 1 minute until al dente. Drain carefully. * See Tip 1 below

16 fresh lasagna sheets

8. Warm the sauce gently before assembling the dish.

Assembly

9. Take out 4 plates and on each (ideally heated) plate, place one lasagna sheet. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with some Parmesan. Add a second lasagna sheet, more sauce, and cheese. Repeat until each plate has 4 layers total. Top with the reserved sautéed chanterelles, crispy fried parsley, and thinly sliced red chili. Serve immediately.

16 cooked fresh lasagna sheets

2 cups + 1 tbsp (500 ml) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

1⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) parsley leaves, fried

Red chili, thinly sliced

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Tip & tricks

Tip 1: Pasta water and salt: Use ½ tablespoon of salt (10 grams) per just over 1 quart (1000 ml) of water. Use 1 ½ tablespoons of salt (30 grams) per 3.2 quarts (3000 ml) of water. Add the salt only once the water is boiling, as adding it earlier can increase the time it takes for the water to boil.