Spring Garden Lasagna

I have not made this since I lived in Florida. For some reason people in Kentucky think you have to have meat in the lasagna. With the cremini mushrooms you don't even miss the meat. Plus it's another wonderful Lenten dish.

I have been known to eat this for breakfast, cold.

Spring Garden Lasagna
8-10 servings
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1 cup packed fresh bail leaves
1/2 cup raw baby spinach leave, plus 1 pound baby spinach blanched, squeezed dry
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick, cooked until golden brown
1 jar (16-ounce) roasted red bell peppers, drained, sliced 1/4-inch thick
6 ounces no-boil lasagna noodles, torn into rough 2-inch pieces
4 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a blender, combine basil, raw spinach, 1/2 teaspoon garlic and oil; process until thick sauce forms. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and pepper. In bowl, combine ricotta, egg, salt and pepper.

In saucepan over medium-heat, melt butter. Cook shallots 4 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon garlic and flour; cook 1 minute. Stir in milk' cook on medium-high heat 8-10 minutes. Transfer to bowl; cool 15 minutes. Stir in basil puree. In separate bowl, combine mushrooms, bell peppers, blanched spinach, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter 3 1/1 quarter shallow dutch oven. Spread 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of pot; arrange single layer of torn noodles on sauce. Top with 1/2 cup ricotta mixture, 1 cup vegetable mixture, 1/2 cup sauce and 1 cup mozzarella. Layer noodles, ricotta, vegetables, sauce and mozzarella 2 more times, then add layer of noodles, ricotta, vegetables and noodles. Spread remaining sauce on top; sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. Cover; bake 45 minutes. Uncover bake 15 minutes more.