Italian recipe of the week: Lasagna con carciofi fritti

See how it's done in this week's video recipe from the chefs at Al.ta Cucina.

Ingredients (serves six)

– Eight artichokes

– Vegetable oil for frying

– 100g grated pecorino cheese

– One litre of béchamel sauce (if you want to make your own, the recipe is below)

– Fresh lasagna sheets

– Pepper to season

Method:

1. Remove the outer leaves and slice the artichokes, then fry the slices in a frying pan with a good amount of vegetable oil.
2. In a baking dish, spread a layer of béchamel, a layer of lasagna sheets, another layer of béchamel, and then a layer of the fried artichokes.  Also add grated pecorino and black pepper.
3. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients have been used. Bake for 25 minutes at 180˚C/350˚F.
4. Once it has been removed from the oven, cover the surface with more crispy fried artichokes and serve hot.

For the bechamel

Ingredients:

-100g plain flour

-100g butter

-1 litre of whole milk

-Grated nutmeg to taste

-A pinch of salt

Method:

-Begin to melt the butter in a pan.

-Once it is nearly melted, add in the flour, whisking it quickly to thicken the mixture.

-While still whisking, add in the milk a little at a time to create a smooth cream without any lumps.

-Add in the nutmeg, still whisking.

-Keep cooking the bechamel, all the while whisking. You will know it’s ready by inserting a spoon. When you're able to lift it out without the sauce forming a “veil” off the back of the spoon, the bechamel is ready.

Buon appetito! See more Italian video recipes by Al.ta Cucina on Facebook.