Chicken Mushroom Lasagna, breaking the rules!

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Cottage cheese is lower in fat and calories while maintaining a similar texture.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Part-skim mozzarella reduces fat while provolone is often less expensive.

chicken breast

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: ground chicken

Chicken thighs are often cheaper and provide more flavor.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free alternative while grana padano is a less expensive cheese option.

Chop the vegetables (onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms) finely using a knife or a food processor. Chop the washed parsley leaves very finely (for your pasta later).

To a large pot or Dutch oven on high heat, add 4 tbsp olive oil, chopped onions, carrots and celery. Mix and sweat vegetables 3 minutes. Add the oregano, rosemary, minced garlic cloves. Add the chopped mushrooms, salt and pepper then chicken stock. Turn heat to very low and leave to reduce 90 minutes or until there’s no more liquid left, (almost dry). You can cover it, or add water if it becomes too dry before the 90 minutes is up. Once reduced nicely, Taste and adjust for seasoning and set aside.

Place the flour on your bench or in a large plate, create a well in the centre, add the eggs and very finely chopped parsley. Using a fork, beat the eggs then mix with flour until roughly mixed. Finish kneading by hand for approx. 10 minutes or until very smooth (like play-doh). Cover in cling film and refrigerate 30 minutes or longer before use.

Remove from fridge and cut in two or three even sizes to fit into your pasta machine. Flatten using the palm of your hand until you have three or two flat oval discs. Lightly dust one with flour. Cover the other discs with cling film until ready to use.

Set the machine thickness dial to 0 or to wide. The two rollers should be fully open. Feed the flour dusted pasta disk into the rollers as you turn the crank in a clockwise direction. Fold the pasta in half and give it a light dust. Feed it back into the machine several times until the pasta has a long rectangular shape.

Cut the pasta sheet in two, dust with flour and feed through the rollers one thickness (thinner) number increment at a time until you reach the desired thickness.

To cook the pasta, simply bring a large amount of water to the boil, and add sufficient salt. Drop the pasta into the boiling or simmering water, usually when it floats it’s close to being ready. Approx. 90-120 seconds depending on thickness. Remove from water and place flat over clean cloth kitchen towels to cool and dry.

Add to a saucepan the milk with bay leaf, place on heat until it starts to barely simmer. Melt the butter in a separate pot. Add flour to melted butter and mix with wooden spoon until it becomes a sandy texture. Cook it for a couple minutes on low heat. Add the hot milk a little at a time and whisk vigorously each time. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes on very low heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Grate a little nutmeg (very small amount). Set aside.

Remove any chicken skin and cut thin slices by tilting the knife to have large pieces. Add olive oil in a frying pan and sauté one breast at a time. Make sure the chicken pieces are a little caramelised (browned). Set aside.

To assemble the lasagna, you will need a baking dish.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens