Lasagna al forno ai funghi (serves 6–8) Mushroom sauce 1kg domestic mushrooms 100g porcini secchi 4 cloves garlic 200g tinned tomato paste 2 glasses of red wine Oil & herbs 1 Soak porcini in boiling water until soft; drain & reserve liquid 2 Chop & fry garlic in the oil; chop & add mushrooms; cook until liquid has been given up & pan is dryish (adding salt aids dropping liquid) 3 Add porcini & cook together briefly; add tomato paste, herbs & red wine; season; cook gently until flavours are combined Lasagne 500g lasagna Bechamel sauce (butter, 2 tbs flour and enough milk) Parmesan 1 Cook pasta sheets in boiling water in batches until soft; lay out on damp cloth 2 Grease dish; thin layer of bechamel; layer of pasta; cover with very thin layer of mushroom sauce 3 Continue building layers (as many as possible as lasagna seems lighter if pasta is a large proportion of dish and sauce is as sparing as possible) 4 Top with bechamel and parmesan; bake in a medium oven for 20-25 mins until brown Wine: a slightly racy wine such as Dom les Yeuses Syrah, or a bit richer Dom de Valensac Cabernet Sauvignon.

© Rupert Wollheim 2004	Design: Tatham Design