PatT posted 8-17-98
Chicken Lasagna Florentine
4 c. cooked chicken, cubed
8 oz. lasagne noodles, cooked
1/2 lb. Mozzarella cheese,
shredded
Mushroom Spinach Filling:
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 large onion (optional)
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen leaf
spinach, thawed and dried
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. small curd cottage cheese
Heat butter or margarine in skillet until quite hot, add onion and saute 5 to 7 minutes. Add mushrooms, saute over high heat until lightly browned and all liquid has evaporated. Set aside.
Mince spinach and season with marjoram, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in eggs and cottage cheese. Blend in mushrooms. Set aside.
Bechamel Sauce:
7 Tbsp. butter or margarine
7 Tbsp. flour
1 c. chicken broth
2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
hot pepper sauce to taste
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Prepare last and use while warm.
Heat butter or margarine in saucepan until melted; stir in flour. Cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, milk and basil; stir until thickened. Add salt and hot pepper sauce to taste. Cook 1 minute longer.
To Assemble: While still hot, thinly spread 1 cup Bechamel Sauce in bottom of 9 x 13-inch pan. Layer half of the noodles on sauce, followed by half of the chicken and half of the Mozzarella cheese. Cover with mushroom-spinach mixture.
Add half of the Bechamel Sauce and remainder of chicken, noodles and Bechamel Sauce in that order. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese evenly over top, followed by Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil. Bake in preheated 375 degrees oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until brown on top. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Serves 12.
This takes about an hour to assemble.