Wild Mushroom & Squash Crêpe Lasagna

Whenever I take a trip, I attempt to keep a journal.  I want to remember all the little details, the activities, and, most importantly, what I ate.

Unfortunately, I started this habit after one of the best trips I’ve ever taken.  I’m talking about my first trip to Italy.  Italy with wide eyes, with my family, half my lifetime ago.  We all stayed with my dad’s aunt and uncles and most of our time sitting at the kitchen table, (lots of language-barrier smiling, not too much talking) eating.  We’d have caffè latte in the mornings and butter cookies from a tin.  We thought it was hilarious how my uncle would crunch up handfuls of cookies and float them in his latte, like how we eat cereal with milk.  There would be minestra for lunch.  Every dinner would end with my aunt bringing out apples and big wedges of cheese and teaching my little brother to use the moka pot.

I just wish I remember what every dinner was.  I remember them all being good and I have a foggy memory of a crepe lasagna that was absolutely delicious.  Of course, I have no recollection of what was in it, just that it was wonderful and I could have kept eating it forever.

So that’s what I was thinking about as I assembled this lasagna, wondering what my aunt had put in hers and hoping mine would measure up.

Mine is a very autumnal lasagna.  It’s made with a stack of nutty, whole wheat crepes, earthy mushroom duxelles, sweet butternut squash, béchamel, and plenty of melted cheese.  As it bakes, the layers of flavor meld together into something that is pure comfort.  Is it a replica of what I previously ate?  No, but it’s a delicious way to bring past food memories into the present.  I think you’re going to like it, too.

A decent amount of work goes into making homemade lasagna, but as long as you can handle multi-tasking, it won’t consume your entire day.  

Start by mixing up your crepe batter.  Let it rest while you get going on your filling components.

Cut a butternut squash in half and get it into the oven to roast.

While the squash is roasting, clean a bunch of mushrooms.  Matt swears I keep him around solely to clean mushrooms, but I did all of these by myself.  Ha!

Quarter the mushrooms, pop them in a food processor with a shallot, and pulse until finely chopped.  We’re making mushroom duxelles.  If you don’t wait tables for a living and aren’t familiar with the term, just know it’s a fancy way of saying super-tasty mushroom spread.  Seriously, I could put it on anything and everything.

Saute the mushroom and shallot mixture in butter until the liquid from the mushrooms boils off and you are left with a thick and fragrant mushroom paste.  Stir in a splash of dry Marsala and try not to eat it all right off the spoon.

Next up, béchamel.  We’ll use a simple white sauce to bind all the layers and flavors together.  Make a roux with butter and flour then whisk in hot milk until it’s thick and creamy.  We’re getting there. 

Time to make the crepes.  Set up a work station on your stove and start flipping crepes.  Don’t worry–the first couple never turn out.  I lost one to each pan and I still had plenty for the lasagna. 

Check the squash.  Tender?  Good.  Scoop out the flesh, puree, and season.  Grate some cheese and you’re ready to put it all together. 

Butter a springform pan and get all your separate components together.

Start building your lasagna.  Line the bottom of the pan with crepes, then layer on béchamel, mushroom duxelles, and cheese.  Cover with another crepe layer and spread with squash puree, sprinkle with cheese.  Repeat until you’ve used up all your ingredients.

Phew…the hard part is over.  Put that lasagna in the oven and take it easy while it bakes.  Pour yourself a glass of wine and write about this crepe lasagna in your food journal.  You’re going to want to remember it.

 

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