Prosciutto and Artichoke Lasagna with creamy sauce nesting the sautéed artichokes and the prosciutto adding a salty bite to an otherwise-delicate dish.
Make the béchamel: Melt ¼ cup (60 ml) butter in a saucepan. Add the flour, whisking to incorporate it to the butter. Cook for about 1 minute, still whisking. Slowly add the warm milk, gradually, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a grating of nutmeg, then simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring once in a while, until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat, cover and reserve.
For the artichokes: Clean and prepare the artichokes according to the method detailed below. Cut each prepared artichoke in half, then each half in fourths so you end up with 8 slices per artichoke.
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet, then add the artichokes and the minced garlic. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté the artichokes for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat, or until tender and golden-brown in spots. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley. Reserve.
Assemble the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C]. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish. Pour a ladleful of béchamel sauce in the bottom of the dish and spread to cover the whole surface. Cover with lasagna pasta. Pour another ladleful of béchamel sauce over the pasta, dot with a fourth of the artichokes, then sprinkle a fourth of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cover with 3 slices of prosciutto, then with more lasagna pasta. Repeat the sauce-artichoke-cheese-prosciutto layer twice. To finish the lasagna, pour all the remaining sauce over the last layer of pasta, then add the remaining artichokes and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Distribute 1 tbsp butter over the surface.
Bake the lasagna for 25 minutes, or until it is heated through, the pasta is al dente, and the top is golden.
Let rest the lasagna for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with a green salad.
Translated and adapted from Cucina Magazine, original recipe by Livia Sala.
Notes
The artichokes can be enjoyed as is, as part of a salad or as a side dish.
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