Matzo adds twist to lasagna

As a child, my only experience with matzo was my dad’s pizzas. This wasn’t a good association.
For a number of years, his go-to late night snack was a sheet of matzo smeared with tomato paste, then topped with slices of bright orange fat-free American “cheese.” He’d microwave it until the cheese-like substance began to bubble and the matzo softened a bit. Oddly, I never joined him in this indulgence.
Taking a gamble that matzo could be put to better use than nuked faux pizza, I recently did a bit of research. Turns out, Dad wasn’t the only one putting matzo to use in classic Italian dishes. They just happened to do it a lot better than he did. My favorite? The many iterations of matzo lasagna, in which sheets of matzo are used in place of the noodles.
That prompted me to start playing, and this savory-creamy white lasagna stacked with sauteed mushrooms and onions was the delicious result.
CREAMY MUSHROOM AND CARAMELIZED ONION MATZO LASAGNA
Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (45 minutes active)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
8 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms
1 tsp. dried thyme
1½ cups heavy cream
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1½ cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 sheets matzo
Heat oven to 350 F. Coat 8-by-8 baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large skillet over medium-high, melt butter. Add onions and saute until they are starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and thyme, then saute the mushrooms also have begun to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add cream, then simmer, stirring often, until thickened, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta, eggs, Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix together mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
To assemble the lasagna, set 1 sheet of matzo in the prepared baking pan. Spread a third of the ricotta mixture over the matzo, then spread a third of the mushroom-onion mixture over that. Sprinkle with a quarter of the cheese blend, then top with a second sheet of matzo, gently pressing it so it lays flat. Repeat layering two more times, finishing with a final sheet of matzo and sprinkling the remaining cheese over it.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until cheeses melt and lightly brown. Let cool for 10 minutes, cut into squares to serve.
Servings: 8
Nutrition information per serving: 480 calories; 310 calories from fat; 35 g fat (22 g saturated; 0.5 g trans fats); 170 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 20 g protein; 580 mg sodium.
--By J.M. HIRSCH
AP Food Editor