CREAM SAUCE:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
CHEESE FILLING:
1/4 cup Sun-dried tomatoes, oil packed and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
3 and 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3 eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
OTHER:
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup spinach lasagna noodles (or regular if spinach is unavailable)
1/4 cup fontina cheese
marinara sauce as desired
extra Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
To make sauce, melt butter over medium heat in heavy, 1 quart saucepan. Add flour and stir until well blended; cook until frothy. Add milk, stirring constantly with wire whisk as mixture comes to a simmer. Cook and stir until thickened (3-4 minutes). Chill while mixing other ingredients. Drain tomatoes. Place other cheese filling ingredients in 3-quart mixing bowl with tomatoes and garlic. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of cooled cream sauce and mix until well blended. Refrigerate, reserving 1/2-cup for later use.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Cool under cold water and drain. Place 3 lasagna noodles in a 9x13x2 lightly oiled baking dish, overlapping slightly. Spread 1 and 1/2 cups cheese filling over noodles; sprinkle with one cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina cheese. Repeat pasta and cheese layering three more times; top with remaining three lasagna noodles. Spread 1/2 cup of reserved cream sauce over top and cover lightly with foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and keep warm at least 30 minutes before serving.
Serve topped with hot marinara and Parmesan cheese. (Can be refrigerated for a day before baking if desired)
The five uses of the cheese are:
Filling: ricotta, Parmesan, Romano
Lasagna: mozzarella
Finishing: Romano
I know technically this is only four cheeses, but they make five appearances.
Yield: 16 servings