A Humble Dish of Earthy Goodness: Mushroom & Chestnut Rotolo

There's something deeply comforting about food that requires a little patience. This rotolo, a lovely change from a classic lasagne, is one of those dishes. It feels a bit special, the kind of meal you make when you want to spend a quiet afternoon in the kitchen, but its heart is truly humble. It’s all about celebrating a few simple, earthy ingredients and turning them into something really magical.

The Soul of the Dish: Mushrooms & Chestnuts

This recipe leans on the deep, umami richness of mushrooms and the sweet, almost nutty creaminess of chestnuts. It’s a pairing that feels both rustic and elegant. Using a mix of wild mushrooms and dried ones, which you soak to create your own flavourful stock, makes all the difference. And that chestnut cream? It’s the secret weapon that makes the sauce so luxuriously velvety.

What You'll Need

• Dried wild mushrooms
• Pre-cooked chestnuts (in a jar or vacuum-packed is fine!)
• Shallots & garlic
• Fresh rosemary & sage
• Lasagne sheets (the no-pre-cook kind work perfectly)
• Dry white wine
• Olive oil
• Soy sauce (for that extra savoury kick)
• Breadcrumbs
• A little truffle oil for serving, if you're feeling fancy

Putting It All Together

Don't let the rolling intimidate you—it's actually quite fun! The process is a gentle rhythm of preparing, building, and baking.

• Start by soaking your dried mushrooms in boiling water. This little pot of stock is liquid gold, so don't you dare throw it away!
• Next, blitz most of your chestnuts with water into a smooth cream. This is the magic that will thicken our sauce.
• Gently fry your shallots, garlic, the remaining chopped chestnuts, and rosemary until your kitchen smells incredible.
• Add all your mushrooms, let them cook down, and then pour in your chestnut cream and mushroom stock mixture to create the most wonderful, glossy sauce.
• Now for the fun part: briefly cook your lasagne sheets until they're pliable, then lay them out on a tea towel. Spread a spoonful of the filling on each, roll them up, and slice them in half. Lining them all up in a dish, cut-side up, always feels like a small victory.
• Pour over the remaining sauce, bake for a short while, then top with a crunchy mix of breadcrumbs and sage fried in olive oil. Bake again until everything is golden and perfect.

The Final Touch

The most important step? Let it rest for ten minutes after it comes out of the oven. I know it’s hard to