Whether you are cooking for family or friends this evening, entertain them within the comfort of your own home with this simple, yet seasonal pasta straccia with wild mushroom and Grana Padano

Created by celebrity chef, Francesco Mazzei, this fresh pasta dish is a real winner.

Pasta “straccia” with wild mushroom and Grana Padano Riserva by Francesco Mazzei

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

400g egg pasta sheets

500ml whole milk

40g butter

30g plain flour

320g mushrooms

80g mozzarella Fior di latte, roughly chopped

100g Grana Padano Riserva, grated

1tbsp chives, chopped

2tbsp shallots, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

A pinch of salt

Pepper, to taste

1tbsp thyme, chopped

100ml water

Method

In a large, deep pan, melt 10g of the butter in the oil. Add the shallots, garlic and thyme then cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook over a high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned, this should take about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the lasagne sheets according to the instructions on the packet.

Meanwhile, to make the Grana Padano béchamel sauce, in a medium saucepan, heat the remaining butter until it has melted. Add the flour and stir, then gradually add the milk until the sauce is smooth and then add half the Grana Padano Riserva. Put the mushroom mixture into the béchamel sauce and season with some additional Grana Padano cheese

Separately, on a lined oven tray, place a layer of pasta sheets, then a layer of the mushroom béchamel. Repeat this until you have 3-4 layers of pasta sheets and the mushroom béchamel mixture.

Add a final layer of pasta and then top with the mozzarella and sprinkle the rest of the Grana Padano over the top. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 175°.

Serve with some extra Grana Padano Riserva sprinkled on the top.