Artichoke Lasagna
by Cucina con Simone · 162K subscribers on YouTube
A creamy, flavorful lasagna made with frozen artichoke hearts, béchamel enriched with artichoke purée, mozzarella and Parmesan. Perfect for valorising frozen ingredients.
- Cook
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
15 items- Cuori di Carciofo SurgelatiFrozen artichoke hearts
- 2 tbspExtra Virgin Olive OilExtra virgin olive oil
- SaltSalt, to taste
- Black PepperBlack pepper, a pinch
- Wild FennelWild fennel, generous amount
- Fresh ThymeFresh thyme, a few sprigs
- 1 pcsGarlic(optional) — 1 clove, halved (removed after cooking)
- 125 mlWhite WineWhite wine, half a glass
- 100 gButterButter, for béchamel
- 100 gFlourAll-purpose flour, for béchamel
- 1 lWhole MilkWhole milk, cold
- NutmegNutmeg, grated to taste
- Parmigiano ReggianoParmesan cheese, grated, as needed
- MozzarellaMozzarella, preferably at room temperature, torn into pieces
- Fogli di Lasagna SecchiDry lasagna sheets, no pre-cooking needed
Method
- Place a cold pan on the stove with extra virgin olive oil (2-3 tbsp). Add the frozen artichoke hearts directly; the cold oil and pan will gently thaw them. Cover and heat over medium.
- After a few minutes, season with salt, a pinch of pepper, a generous amount of wild fennel, and a couple of fresh thyme sprigs. Add half a garlic clove (cut in half). Stir.
- After about 5 minutes, pour in half a glass (125 ml) of white wine. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until the artichokes are very tender (about 15-20 minutes).
- Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel: in a separate small pot, melt 100 g of butter over medium heat. Whisk in 100 g of all-purpose flour to form a roux. Gradually add 1 litre of cold whole milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Season the béchamel with salt and grated nutmeg to taste. Once thickened and smooth, remove from heat and stir in a splash of cold milk to stop the cooking. Set aside.
- When the artichokes are fully cooked (they break easily when pressed with silicone tongs), remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Take about two-thirds of the cooked artichokes and chop them coarsely. Purée the remaining third in a blender (add a teaspoon of olive oil if needed for blending).
- Stir the artichoke purée into the béchamel sauce until well combined. This creates a creamy, flavourful base.
- Assemble the lasagna: spread a thin layer of the artichoke-béchamel sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange a layer of dry lasagna sheets (no pre-cooking needed). Add some sauce, chopped artichokes, shards of mozzarella, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used.
- For the final layer, cover generously with the remaining béchamel-artichoke sauce. Top with only a generous amount of Parmesan (no mozzarella or artichoke pieces on top to prevent burning).
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 25 minutes, until golden and bubbly. If the top browns too quickly, cover with aluminium foil and continue baking.
- Let the lasagna rest for 5 minutes out of the oven before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.
Cucina con Simone
Home cook162K subscribers on YouTube41.4M total channel viewsBenvenuti nel canale dello Chef Simone! Qui condivido ricette della tradizione italiana e creazioni ispirate dalla mia esperienza internazionale. Il mio obiettivo è aiutare tutte le famiglie a cucinare piatti indimenticabili, senza spendere una fortuna, utilizzando prodotti facilmente reperibili nei supermercati di tutto il mondo. Se amate la buona cucina, scoprire sapori autentici e imparare trucchi e consigli semplici, questo è il canale giusto per voi. Unisciti a me in questa avventura culinaria e porta il gusto in tavola con soddisfazione e facilità!
