What is Burrata? Burrata a semiisoft white Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella, while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it an unusual texture. It is to die for.
What is lasagna? I say it is the ultimate one-pot meal. In its most basic form, lasagna is a layered dish of long, wide noodles with blankets of sauce, cheese, and other tasty ingredients in between. When you use Burrata cheese in lasagna the end result is amazing.
This is a make-ahead recipe, if you want, for two hungry adults. Make it the night before you need it, cover and put in the refer until ready to bake the next day.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
¾ pounds Chanterelle mushrooms (chopped)
¾ pounds Cremini mushrooms (chopped)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 large shallot (chopped fine)
⅓ cup dry white wine
1 cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup heavy cream
12 lasagna noodles (cooked according to pkg directions)
2 4-ounce rounds Burrata cheese (torn into large pieces)
6 teaspoons Parmesan cheese (grated fine)
5 teaspoons fresh marjoram leaves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add Chanterelle mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and starting to crisp – about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Do the same with the Cremini mushrooms, 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix in first batch of mushrooms and add shallot, wine, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushroom mixture is considerably reduced – about 5 minutes. Return mushroom mixture to bowl and set aside.
Combine ricotta and cream in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Assembly:
There will be 6 layers of noodles. To begin, spread a thin layer of ricotta mixture in a small baking dish (I use a large bread loaf pan) and top with 2 noodles side by side. Spread 1/5th of the ricotta mixture over noodles, layer with 1/5th of the mushrooms, then a few pieces of Burrata. Top evenly with 1 teaspoon Parmesan and 1 teaspoon marjoram leaves. Repeat layering process (starting with noodles and ending with marjoram) 4 more times. Dust the top with the last of the Parmesan and a bit of fresh ground pepper.
Cover with foil and bake until warmed through – about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until golden brown – about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for at 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with a fresh garden salad and vinaigrette dressing.
Chef Randy’s latest book: Ojai Valley Make Ahead Cookbook on Sale at AMAZON
For additional recipes, see Chef Randy’s website at valley-vegetarian.com.
Chef Randy has been a vegetarian for over 40 years and eats local and organic grain, fresh fruit, and vegetables as much as possible. He is known locally as the “Healthy Chef.” His column, Chef Randy, is syndicated in California newspapers. See his website at Valley-Vegetarian.com for more recipes.
Visit his author’s page on Amazon for culinary inspiration!
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Barilla makes a gluten-free lasagna noodle for those who want it.