Lasagna Bianca con Carciofi

Lasagna Bianca con Carciofi (White Lasagna with Artichokes)

Beciamela Sauce...
Butter
Olive Oil
Flour
Milk
Cinnamon
White Wine
Shallots, thinly sliced
Chicken, cubed into bite-size pieces
Shredded carrots
Fennel Seeds
Sea Salt and pepper to taste
Whole fresh basil leaves
Fresh baby spinach
Italian/Flat-leaf Parsley, coarsely chopped
Chopped Artichoke hearts

The rest of it…
Lasagna Noodles
Mozzarella
Ricotta cheese (or cream cheese)
Cottage Cheese
Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Procedure:
Make a basic Beciamela Sauce (White Sauce) –
Melt butter with a splash of olive oil so that it doesn’t brown. Once the butter is melted, add flour to make a roux. Add milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Once you have the amount and consistency that you want, add a splash of white wine and cinnamon. Whisk again until smooth. Set aside.

Make Chicken for the sauce –
Sauté the shallots in olive oil until softened. Add and brown the chicken. Add fennel seeds and carrots, cook until carrots are done. Wilt the spinach and basil leaves. Turn off heat and add parsley and chopped artichokes. Combine the beciamela and the chicken.

Assemble The rest of it –
Spoon a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13” pan. Then alternate noodles, mozzarella (to cover the seams), chicken sauce, ricotta, cottage cheese, and parmesan cheese. Repeat until you reach the top of the pan. The last layer should be the chicken sauce.

Bake at 350°F (covered in foil) until the sauce bubbles along the side of the pan, usually an hour. Then top with parmesan cheese and bake another 10 minutes, uncovered, to brown the top.

Buon Appetito!