Blog Housekeeping Note: Sorry I’ve not been able to published a post, my blog was being updated and I had to stop content for a few weeks. But hope I’m making it up to you with this post, this dish is so good! And I hope you love the redesign as much as I do. Also, if you like the meal plans I’ve been posting you might want to think about signing up to receive my newsletters over there on the right of the blog since I am thinking about sending them out that way. Will keep you posted when I make the change but don’t miss out.
I’ve been dreaming about making an artichoke lasagna ever since we ordered one for my daughter’s baptism oh, nine years ago? Well some things are worth the wait because oh my word this Artichoke and Spinach lasagna is so delicious. In the words of my husband, its “crushable.”
What makes it is the béchamel sauce – how can something so simple like butter and flour and warm milk become this fluffy, pillowy cloud of goodness in every bite?
When you layer this with gooey cheese, and this garlic artichoke spinach mixture…
Along with the classic lasagna layer of ricotta, egg, parm and parsley mixture…
You get this creamy, gooey combination of veggies and cheese and pasta.
I recipe tested this lasagna a few times, and earlier versions had lots of rich cheese, like asiago and gruyere, and they were just too heavy. (If you want to try it feel free to add your favorite cheese to the Béchamel, though it technically becomes a Mornay sauce). The lightness of the fluffy Béchamel let the other flavors shine through.
A note on the nutmeg – I loved it and its a classic flavor in Béchamel but my husband definitely requested I leave it out next time. Sniff. If you’re on the fence, you can try adding a slice of onion to the hot milk as it heats and it will infuse the sauce with an onion flavor – I’m planning to try this next time.
We are going to have this on heavy rotation this lent when we tend to eat more meatless meals. Everyone loved it and it’s probably a good idea to just make two. You can either freeze the extra or give it away and those are both great scenarios.
Hope you love it as much as we did! Happy Eating, xoxo Katie
Artichoke Spinach Lasagna
2 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, diced
3 cans quartered artichokes
3 packages 10 oz frozen spinach
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 15 oz. package ricotta
1 cup grated Parm
2 eggs
1 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp. pepper
2 T. chopped parsley + 1 T. for topping
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 package oven ready lasagna noodles
For Béchamel Sauce:
5 T. butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups whole milk, warmed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg* (optional)
*Alternate to nutmeg is adding a slice of onion to the milk as it warms to add flavor
Directions:
Set oven to 425 degrees.
To make the Béchamel, melt the butter in a 2 quart saucepan while you heat up the 4 cups of milk. When the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk constantly for one minute until you make a roux. Then slowly pour in the warm milk, taking care not to let either the milk or the sauce come to a boil. Cook the sauce on low for 10 minutes, whisking periodically to remove lumps, until a think sauce forms.
In a large sauce pan, heat the oil, then add the onions with a pinch of salt, and sauté for 3 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the artichokes, spinach, salt and pepper and cook 5-7 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, parm and parsley. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 t. pepper.
To assemble:
Pour 1/2 cup of béchamel sauce on bottom of a 13 X 9 pan (so noddles don’t stick). Layer noodles, artichoke-spinach mixture, then ricotta mixture, then béchamel sauce, then 1.5 cups of mozzarella. Repeat a second time, ending with mozzarella on top, and sprinkle with parsley.
Cover lasagna tightly with tin foil (trying not to touch the cheese or it will stick – you can use a layer of parchment paper then a layer of tin foil but I dealt with two tiny sticking spots with a knife and was fine). Cook covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until sides are bubbly and cheese has browned a little bit. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
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