Lasagna con funghi prosciutto cotto e béchamel

This version of lasagna I first cooked for my nephew Nicholas on his holy communion. I still remember the compliment Zia Reparata made on eating this baked pasta.

Ingredients

36 sheets of lasagna

800 gr of prosciutto cotto (Italian leg ham, shaved)

1 litre of Béchamel sauce

250 gr fine grated Parmigiano

Extra virgin olive oil

500 gr of button mushrooms quartered

500 gr of Portobello mushrooms thinly sliced

300 gr of mozzarella cheese shredded

Salt and pepper

1200 gr diced Italian canned tomatoes

Butter

2 leeks

1 garlic clove crushed

Method for cooking Lasagne sheets

Cook the lasagna sheets as per instructions plus three minutes, cool under fresh cold water, drain well and place on a plate or board with a little parmigiano between each lasagna sheet.

Mushrooms

Cut the leeks in quarters length wise and then cut about ½ a centimetre in width.

Wash and drain well.

Quarter and Slice the mushrooms and put aside. Heat some butter and a little extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan, add the leeks and cook until golden. Add the mushrooms and sauté until fragrant. At this stage add the garlic and fry for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 20-25 minutes. Season and let rest.

Putting it all together

Lay the Lasagna sheets in a baking dish large enough to accommodate all the ingredients. Butter the dish well and place a little béchamel on the bottom. You should not let the lasagna sheets hang over the edge by not more than about 4 centimetres.

Place a large ladle of the mushroom sauce and a ladle of the béchamel and spread evenly, add a little shaved ham, mozzarella and parmigiano and season repeat until you have reached the edges of the baking dish. Lay with pasta sheets and fold the edges in. The top should only be spread with a little béchamel and parmigiano.

Cover with baking paper and then foil and bake in 200 degree C. oven for about 20 minutes, take the foil and paper off and bake for another 5 minutes.

Rest for about 10 minutes before cutting

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