Creamy Artichoke Lasagna

By shauna

Ingredients

• 3 C. Water
• 1/4 C. Lemon
• 15 Fresh Baby Artichokes
• 9 Dried Lasagna Noodles
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1/2 C. Pine Nuts
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 15-oz. Carton Ricotta Cheese
• 1 C. Parmesan Cheese, finely shredded
• 1 C. Snipped Fresh Basil
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1 C. Chicken Broth
• 1/4 C. All-Purpose Flour
• 2 C. Light Cream
• 1 C. Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Preparation

Step 1

In a lg. bowl, combine the water & lemon juice; set aside. Cut off the base of each artichoke. Snap off outer leaves till you reach leaves that are yellow at the bottom. Cut off the top third of artichokes; quarter artichokes. Immediately place artichokes in water mixture to keep them from browning. Drain artichokes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles in boiling, salted water till al dente ( approx. 6-8 min. ) Rinse with cold water; drain again. In a lg. saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil over med. heat. Add 2 Tbsp. of the oil over med. heat. Add artichokes, pine nuts & half the garlic. Cook for 8-10 min. or till artichokes are tender, stirring frequently. Transfer mixture to the lg. bowl. Stir in ricotta cheese, 1.2 C. of the parmesan cheese, 1/2 C. of the basil, the egg & salt. For sauce: In a sm. bowl, combine broth & flour. In the lg. saucepan, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil over med. heat. Add the remaining garlic; cook & stir till garlic is tender but not brown. Stir in flour mixture & cream. Cook & stir till mixture is thick & bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 1/2 C. basil. In a sm. bowl, combine mozzarella cheese & the remaining 1/2 C. parmesan cheese. To assemble, spread about 1 C. of the sauce over the bottom of an ungreased 3-qt. shallow baking dish. Layer 3 of the cooked noodles in the dish. Spread with 1/3 of the artichoke mixture & 1/3 of of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 C. of the mozzarella mixture. Repeat layering noodles, artichoke mixture, sauce & mozzarella mixture 2 more times. Bake uncovered, for 35-40 min. till edges are bubbly & top is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 min. before serving.