Vegetable & Potato Lasagna

Yield: 12 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 cups julienned mushrooms, preferred flavor of portobello (8 medium-gills removed) & (1 pound) shiitake
15 Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled
2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded
3 tablespoons potato starch
1/4 cup fresh herb mix *
1 teaspoon  salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 Roasted Red Bell Peppers, peeled and seeded**
3 cups packed, chopped, drained, frozen spinach

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.  Add the mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Cut the potatoes and the butternut squash on a mandoline or with a sharp knife into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Arrange 1/3 of the potatoes to cover the bottom of the prepared dish in rows, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the potato starch and season with 1/3 of the herbs, salt, and pepper. Add a layer of 1/2 of the butternut squash over the potatoes. Add a layer of 1/2 of the roasted peppers.
• Spread 1/2 of the cooked mushrooms over the roasted peppers. Layer 1/2 of the spinach over the mushrooms, making sure to arrange it as evenly as possible. Layer another 1/3 of the potatoes over the drained spinach. Sprinkle the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the potato starch and 1/3 of the herbs, salt, and pepper. Repeat the process again with the remaining vegetables. Finish with a layer of potatoes, the remaining herbs, salt, pepper, and the remaining 1 tablespoon potato starch. The entire dish consists of 3 layers of potatoes with 2 sets of vegetable layers in between.
• Spray both sides of a piece of parchment paper cut to the size of the pan and place on top of the pavè. Place another baking pan or casserole dish of equal size on top and weigh down with clean bricks or another heavy object that can withstand heat.
• Place in the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour or until lasgana is soft in the center–check by inserting a small knife into the center. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

Nutritional Analysis per serving: Calories 250; Protein 6g; Total Fat 2g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 51g; Dietary Fiber 8g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 220mg  

*Fresh Herb Mix
Makes 1¼ cups

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh thyme

Combine all the herbs in a small bowl and mix well. Store any unused mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

**Roasted Peppers

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the peppers on a roasting pan and place under the broiler. Broil on each side until the skin has blistered and turned black, about 10 minutes total, using tongs to turn  the peppers as they blacken. Carefully remove the peppers from the oven, place in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. (This will make removing the skins easier.) Cool for 20 minutes, peel off the skins, and remove the stems and seeds. Gently rinse off any remaining charred skin.