What is it about lasagne that’s so synonymous with weekends? On a practical level, it’s a time-consuming dish to make, making it an unpopular choice for a speedy midweek meal. Then there’s the dish itself. The silky pasta, garlic-laden ragu sauce and creamy bechamel makes it indulgent and as suitable for a bowl on the sofa as it is in a beautiful dish on a dinner table, solidifying lasagne’s firm place in both relaxed weekends at home and for entertaining. There’s a nostalgic element too. As a child, if I knew lasagne was on the menu for dinner on a Saturday night, I’d be waiting all day for that smell to waft up the stairs, to be later dished up, dug into and mopped up with wedges of garlic bread.
The lasagne featured in this newsletter is a departure from the classic beef-and-bechamel versions of my childhood. The sauce is made with mushrooms and fiery habanero chillies, with all that smoky heat standing up to a creamy sauce made with blitzed celeriac, milk and parmesan. I’d recommend using fresh lasagne sheets for the best texture, and leaving your lasagne to stand for 5 minutes before divvying up the slices (torture, I know).
Spicy mushroom and celeriac lasagne
Serves 6
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
500g mushrooms, roughly chopped
500g celeriac, peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks
750ml whole milk
1 bay leaf
8 black peppercorns
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp habanero chilli flakes (if you’re concerned about the heat level, reduce to 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
400g tin chopped tomatoes
200ml porcini mushroom stock (or vegetable stock)
100g parmesan, finely grated
12 fresh lasagne sheets
Place a large high-sided frying pan on a medium heat. Add the oil and onion to the pan and fry for 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and fry for a further 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the celeriac, milk, bay leaf and peppercorns into a medium-sized saucepan over a low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the garlic, habanero, smoked paprika, thyme and oregano to the pan with the mushrooms, stir to combine and fry for a further 5 minutes. Next, add the balsamic vinegar, chopped tomatoes and stock. Simmer for a further 10 minutes until some of the liquid has reduced, then season to taste with salt and black pepper and set aside.
When the celeriac has finished cooking (it should fall apart when you pierce the chunks with a fork) use a stick blender to blitz the milk and celeriac mixture. Once smooth, season with salt and add 60g of the parmesan. Stir to combine, then set aside.
Layer up the lasagne, starting with about a third of the mushroom ragu on the bottom of the dish, followed by a layer of lasagne sheets, and a layer of the celeriac sauce. Repeat twice more, finishing off the lasagne with a layer of celeriac bechamel on the top. Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan, then bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.