Pasticho (Venezuelan Lasagna)

Name: Pasticho (Venezuelan Lasagna)
Prep time: 1 h 50 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: 20 servings.
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound ground pork; 1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped; 1 celery rib, finely chopped; 1 small carrot, shredded; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole tomatoes with basil, undrained; 1 can (29 ounces) tomato puree; 1 bay leaf; 1 teaspoon salt; MUSHROOM SAUCE:; 2-1/4 cups sliced baby portobello mushrooms; 1/3 cup butter, cubed; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 6 cups heavy whipping cream; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1-1/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese; LAYERS:; 3 packages (9 ounces each) no-cook lasagna noodles; 7 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese; 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

Since I was a child knew my passion was to cook and I would invent new dishes. I sampled a lasagna at a local restaurant in Venezuela and I re-created at home. My father fell in love with the rich, creamy layer that complimented the tomato meat sauce in my pasticho.—

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 small carrot, shredded
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (28 ounces each) whole tomatoes with basil, undrained
1 can (29 ounces) tomato puree
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
MUSHROOM SAUCE:
2-1/4 cups sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1/3 cup butter, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
LAYERS:
3 packages (9 ounces each) no-cook lasagna noodles
7 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, pork, onion, celery and carrot in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree, bay leaf and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute mushrooms in butter and oil until tender. Add the cream, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in Parmesan cheese; cook and stir for 20-25 minutes or until thickened.
Discard bay leaf from meat sauce. Spread 1-1/4 cups meat sauce into a greased 4-qt. baking dish. Top with six noodles. Layer with 1-3/4 cups meat sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, six noodles, 1-1/4 cups mushroom sauce, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers three times. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce, mushroom sauce, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese (dish will be full).
Cover and bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until golden brown and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.