Daily Italian Recipe · Pasta
Lasagna Bianca with Porcini
Tender pasta, fragrant porcini and melting Fontina meet in this golden lasagna bianca, inspired by Piedmont’s woodland flavours. A silky besciamella brings every layer together without a drop of tomato.
Total time
90 minutes
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Intermediate
Origin
Piedmont
Porcini are deeply rooted in Piedmontese cooking, where woodland mushrooms enrich fresh pasta, risotti and autumn dishes. This white lasagna draws on that regional tradition rather than claiming to be a single, codified Piedmontese classic.
Fontina DOP comes from neighbouring Valle d’Aosta, not Piedmont. Its supple texture and gentle nuttiness make it a natural Alpine companion to porcini, while besciamella gives this northern Italian pasta bake its creamy structure.
Ingredients
- 250 g Lasagna pasta sheets Fatti BeneShop
- 40 g Dried porcini mushrooms, taken from the 950 g packShop
- 150 g Fontina DOP Val d’Aosta, rind removed, thinly slicedShop
- 40 g Parmigiano Reggiano DOP 24 Months, finely gratedShop
- 800 ml Whole milk
- 70 g Unsalted butter: 60 g for the besciamella and 10 g for the baking dish
- 60 g Plain wheat flour, preferably Italian tipo 00
- 15 ml Extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g Garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
- 5 g Flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 500 ml Warm water for soaking the porcini; reserve 100 ml after filtering
- 5 g Fine sea salt: 1 g for the mushrooms and 4 g for the besciamella
- 0.3 g Freshly ground black pepper
- 0.2 g Freshly grated nutmeg
Method
- 1
1. Soak and clean the porcini
Soak the dried porcini in 500 ml warm water for 25 minutes, until supple. Lift them out rather than pouring everything through a sieve, leaving sediment behind. Rinse away any remaining grit, squeeze gently and chop coarsely. Filter the soaking liquid through a paper coffee filter or damp muslin and reserve exactly 100 ml.
- 2
2. Sauté the mushrooms
Heat the olive oil and garlic in a wide frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute without browning the garlic. Add the porcini and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until excess moisture has evaporated. Remove the garlic, then add the parsley, 1 g salt and the black pepper.
- 3
3. Make the besciamella
Warm the milk in a saucepan. In another saucepan, melt 60 g butter over medium-low heat, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes without colouring. Gradually whisk in the warm milk, followed by the 100 ml filtered mushroom liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until smooth and pourable rather than stiff. Add the nutmeg and remaining 4 g salt.
- 4
4. Prepare the pasta and baking dish
Heat the oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan. Grease a roughly 20 × 25 cm baking dish with the remaining 10 g butter. Prepare the pasta sheets according to their packet instructions: blanch and drain if required, or use directly if labelled suitable for baking without precooking. Trim the sheets to fit without thick overlaps.
- 5
5. Build four even pasta layers
Spread a thin layer of besciamella across the base. Add pasta, then besciamella, one-third of the mushrooms, one-third of the Fontina and 10 g Parmigiano Reggiano. Repeat twice more. Finish with a fourth pasta layer, all the remaining besciamella and the final 10 g Parmigiano Reggiano. Keep enough sauce for the top and cover every pasta edge.
- 6
6. Bake until golden
Bake on the middle shelf for 30–35 minutes, until bubbling at the edges, golden on top and tender when pierced through the centre. If the surface colours before the pasta is tender, cover loosely with foil and continue baking.
- 7
7. Rest before slicing
Leave the lasagna to stand for 10–15 minutes before cutting into four portions. This allows the sauce to settle so the layers hold together while remaining creamy.
Chef's secret
A small, carefully filtered measure of porcini soaking liquid gives the besciamella depth without overwhelming the Fontina. Use only the clear liquid: even a little grit can spoil the finished texture.
Did you know?
Bianca means “white”: in lasagna, it describes a version made without tomato, not necessarily one made without meat. Here, mushrooms supply the savoury centrepiece.
Common mistakes
- Using unfiltered porcini soaking water, which can carry sand and woodland debris into the sauce.
- Making the besciamella too thick or leaving pasta corners exposed; both can produce dry, leathery layers.
- Cutting straight from the oven instead of allowing a 10–15 minute rest.
Storage & reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow, covered containers within 2 hours and eat within 2 days. Reheat covered at 170°C conventional until piping hot throughout, ideally reaching 74°C in the centre; allow approximately 20–30 minutes for a refrigerated portion and uncover briefly to refresh the crust. Freeze cooled portions for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly.
Shop the recipe
Delivered across Hong Kong by SF Express or Lalamove.
FAQ
Can I assemble it the day before?
Yes. Cool the mushroom mixture and besciamella promptly before assembling, then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the refrigerator, allowing approximately 10–15 extra minutes and covering the top if it browns too quickly.
Can I use fresh porcini instead of dried?
Yes. Use 350 g cleaned, sliced fresh porcini and sauté until their released moisture evaporates. Replace the 100 ml mushroom soaking liquid in the besciamella with 100 ml additional milk.
Is this lasagna suitable for vegetarians?
It is meat-free, but traditional Fontina DOP and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP use animal rennet, so this exact version is not suitable for strict vegetarians.