Portobello Lasagna Roll-Ups

I warned you a while ago that I was portobello crazed. I keep finding awesome new ways to use these king-size mushroom caps- in paninis and now pasta! Yes, this dish is vegetarian. It's meat-less but still manages to be meaty with thick hunks of portobello, spinach and ricotta, and a chunky tomato sauce.

The sauce surprised me. It's basic (even easy) and I didn't expect anything extraordinary. What made it so rich and delicious? Well, I finally shelled out and bought a jar of San Marzano tomatoes. I'd heard TV chefs raving about how juicy and sweet and far superior they are to all others. Wikipedia says they're "considered by many chefs to be the best sauce tomatoes in the world"! They're a special variety of plum tomatoes found in Italy that are stronger, sweeter, and less acidic than many other varieties. (The jar I bought was actually grown in a mystery location in the U.S.-but they're still sensational!) Alas, they're quite expensive, but you really should try them at least once. You'll see what I mean.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 lb. whole wheat lasagna noodles
extra virgin olive oil
12 oz. portobello mushrooms, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups tomato sauce (recipe below) or purchased marinara sauce
15 oz. ricotta cheese
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach (I used a full 16 oz. bag)
1 egg, lightly beaten
pinch nutmeg
1/2 cup Parmigiano Regiano, grated
1 cup mozzarella, grated

Tomato Sauce:
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano if you can find them- they're incredible!)
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.

3. To make the tomato sauce, in a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Preheat several drizzles of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. 

5. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, a pinch of salt, a few turns of pepper, and nutmeg.

6. Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle. Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture, roll the noodle and place it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with grated cheeses.

7. Cover loosely with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more, until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Let sit several minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

(Adapted from Food Network)