Lasagna with Artichoke Cream, a main course I absolutely adore and often make for Sunday lunch or on special occasions. To be honest, I prepared this recipe on a weekday and can’t even remember which, because I wanted to share the idea here on the blog. It’s very similar to the method for crepes with asparagus cream, but of course with a different ingredient: artichokes for this recipe. After cooking them in a pressure cooker, I blended them with milk, flour, and butter to create a sort of béchamel. After thickening the cream, enriching it like a regular béchamel with nutmeg, salt, pepper, and grated cheese, I used it to fill the lasagna layers along with smoked scamorza cheese.
Truly delicious! Melting and super tasty, these lasagnas were also enjoyed by Giorgia and Francesca, precisely because the artichokes were blended and not in chunks. If you’re curious to try them, let’s head to the kitchen together because the lasagna with artichoke cream will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other baked pasta dishes, also check out:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 6People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Easter
- Energy 338.22 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 23.83 (g) of which sugars 5.18 (g)
- Proteins 15.22 (g)
- Fat 21.63 (g) of which saturated 7.63 (g)of which unsaturated 4.16 (g)
- Fibers 6.28 (g)
- Sodium 962.66 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 207 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 21.16 oz artichokes
- 1.06 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp water
- salt (to taste)
- 8.82 oz lasagna
- 1.75 cups milk
- 3 tbsp butter
- 0.28 cups all-purpose flour
- 5.29 oz smoked scamorza cheese
- 0.88 cups grated Parmesan cheese
- extra virgin olive oil (to taste for the baking dish)
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- nutmeg (to taste)
Tools
- Pressure Cooker
- Blender
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Baking Dish
Steps
First, take care of cleaning the artichokes. Remove the tougher outer leaves, cut off the tip, and also clean the stems with a peeler. Then cut the stems into rings and halve the artichokes. Remove the fuzzy choke and cut them into thin slices about half an inch thick. Then transfer the artichokes into water with lemon to avoid browning.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in the pot and add the drained artichokes. Add the water, adjust the salt, and close the pot. Bring it to maximum pressure and, from the start of the hissing, cook for 2 minutes on the first ring on low heat if you have a pot like mine. If the pot is different, cook on the smallest burner on low heat. For cooking time, refer to the specifications of your pot.
Once the cooking time is over, gradually release the steam and open the pot. Transfer the artichokes to a blender and add half the milk, the flour, and the butter. Blend until you get a smooth, lump-free cream.
Then transfer the cream to the pot you used to cook the artichokes and add the remaining milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Then thicken over medium heat, stirring to avoid lumps and sticking to the pot bottom. Once the artichoke béchamel has thickened, add the grated cheese and mix.
And now let’s prepare the lasagna. Spread a bit of oil on the bottom of a baking dish and lay down the first sheet. Spread some artichoke béchamel and a few slices of smoked scamorza. Continue in this way until all ingredients are used up. On the last layer, spread the artichoke cream and plenty of grated cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 392°F for 30 minutes, covering with aluminum foil. Then uncover the dish and finish cooking for another 10 minutes, until a crust forms on the surface.
Storage and Tips for Lasagna with Artichoke Cream
The lasagna can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for 1 or 2 days and then baked in the oven as indicated above in the recipe. Alternatively, you can also freeze them and thaw when needed in the fridge, then bake and cook as indicated in the recipe.
Already cooked lasagna can be stored in the fridge in a container with a lid for 1 or 2 days.
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FAQ Questions and Answers for Lasagna with Artichoke Cream
What can I substitute for smoked scamorza?
Instead of smoked scamorza, you can use provola or another melting cheese of your choice.
