Ingredients: preheat to 350 Difficulty Rating: Medium
12 Artichokes – removed hearts (Find a good video online)
2 lemons – cut the first lemon in quarters, if the 2nd is needed for the artichokes, cut it in quarters too
2 scallions, diced (white and light green parts only)
4 Tablespoons olive oil – plus 2 Tablespoons to prepare the baking dish (no need to use Extra Virgin)
1 cup dry white wine
1 ½ quarts whole milk
8 Tablespoons butter plus 3 more Tablespoons
6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 ½ packages frozen spinach, defrosted and the all water squished out
Kosher salt and freshly ground high quality black pepper to taste
½ pound Tallegio cheese - a little stinky but very yummy.
This cheese has a history back to the 10th century when it was left it caves to mature. If you can’t find it in your local store, there's no need to go cave hunting, you can choose a good a Brie, or ask your cheese monger for a good substitute.
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| Scamorza |
It got its name because it looks like a head in a sack after it’s been chopped off. Lovely picture, but it really does. It has a protective wax covering which you can cut off with a knife, or if you have a good potato peeler, you can peel it off.
If you can’t find Scamorza, use a good imported Provalone.
½ to ¾ pounds of Parmigiano Reggiano, depending on how heavy handed you are
Lasagne sheets – no bake sheets are the easiest. Barilla makes some and there are lots of others out there
Preparation:
Prepare a 12 X 9 inch baking dish by pouring 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the dish and spread it around the bottom and sides of the dish with a piece of waxed paper. It should be well oiled. Using 1 Tablespoon of butter, and the same piece of waxed paper, spread the butter in the corners of the baking dish to prevent sticking.
To prepare the artichokes:
Remove the hearts from the artichokes. If you’re not familiar with how to do this, there are lots of videos to watch online that will help you. I watched Monkey See and it was very helpful. There are plenty of videos on You Tube. Make sure to rub the lemon over the artichoke whenever the peel is removed so it doesn't oxidize and turn brown. Another option is to have a bowl of cold water with a few tablespoons of fresh lemon added to it. Put the peel artichoke in it immediately. Don't forget that the stem is part of the heart! The whole choke needs to be removed, I thought that would be difficult, but using a grapefruit spoon with a serrated edge really helps, as does a very sharp paring knife.
Slice the artichoke hearts in half (including the stem). Leave 2 well-shaped halves to the side (rub lemon over them).
Cut the artichoke hearts into bite-sized pieces (if you have a tiny mouth, make them in larger than bite size pieces). In a large skillet over a medium flame, add 4 Tablespoons of olive oil and the diced scallion.
When the scallion becomes soft add the cut pieces of artichoke.
When they are about half way cooked, add the wine and let it evaporate.
Add salt and pepper, and cover for 5 – 10 minutes until they are tender when you stick a fork in them. If necessary, add a little water to cook a little longer
When they’re finished, scrape the artichokes and scallions onto a plate
To make the Béchamel (Besciamella) sauce:
Get 2 medium to large sauce pans ready. 1 is for the butter and flour, 1 is to heat the milk.
Pour the milk into one sauce pan, but don’t turn on the heat yet – just have it ready.
Cut the butter into pieces to aid in melting and place in a medium to large sauce pan on a low flame. Stir as the butter is melting to be sure it doesn’t burn.
When the butter is melted, add the flour 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk. When all the flour is added, turn a low to medium flame on under the sauce pan with the milk, and raise the heat to medium for the butter mixture, stirring with the whisk for about 7 minutes or until it thickens and is a light golden color and feels like a roux.
Right before the milk starts to boil, shut off the flame.
Pour 1 cup at a time into the butter mixture and stir with a whisk. When it is well mixed and there are no lumps, pour in the next cup of hot milk and repeat until it is all combined and the mixture is very smooth. They continue cooking for about 10 minutes, and continue whisking. When it’s thick and very smooth, remove from the heat.
Add the salt and scrape the nutmeg. Add ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, stir it in and taste the sauce. It should have a subtle, warm nutty flavor. If needed, add the remaining ¼ teaspoon, stir and taste again.
Press the spinach between paper towels to make sure the water is squished out. Rip the spinach apart and add it about 1 cup at a time, to the Béchamel time and stir with a whisk until the spinach is no longer clumpy and it is all mixed in.
Slice the Tallegio and the Scamorza into thin slices
To pull it all together:
Pour 1 or 2 ladles-full of Béchamel into the baking dish and spread it around the bottom.
Put the lasagna sheets on top to fully cover the pan
Cover with artichoke pieces, Parmigiano, Tallegio and Scamorza
Repeat – Béchamel, artichokes, Parmigiano, Tallegio and Scamorza
Repeat until you run out of artichoke hearts. If you have room in the pan, you can do one layer without the artichoke heart and cover with Béchamel.
In the center on the top, place the 2 artichoke heart halves facing opposite directions, it’s a lovely addition
Bake for about 45 minutes or until the top gets a bit golden
Simply delicious.
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