Artichoke Lasagna

This recipe works even better with rice lasagna noodles--put them in boiling water and turn the heat off immediately, allowing them to steep for 20 minutes.  The delicate flavors and the texture of artichokes are enhanced by judicious use of thyme, and in combination with these light, tender noodles.  This is a very special meal.  I made it when my son introduced me to his serious girlfriend, two weeks ago.

Ingredients: 
3 Tbps butter
3 Tbsp flour (rice flour okay)
3 cups milk (rice or almond milk okay)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 dashes hot sauce

12 lasagna noodles
5 Tbps olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, or 1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
3 nine-oz packages frozen artichokes, quartered, thawed
4 bay leaves3 Tbsp fresh thyme (finely chopped) or 1 1/2 tsp dry ground thyme
1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups fresh Parmesan, grated
1/3 cup heavy cream

Make Bechamel:
     Melt butter.  Add flour and cook for five minutes.  Whisk in milk and stir over medium heat until thickened.  Add salt, pepper and hot sauce.

Make vegetables:
     Saute garlic, shallots, and celery in olive oil until soft.  Stir in artichokes, bay leaves, and thyme, and cook for 30 minutes over low heat, adding spoonfuls of pasta water if needed to keep vegetables from sticking.  Remove bay leaves.

Cook Pasta:
     For rice pasta, boil water, drop in lasagna noodles one at a time, and turn off heat, covering pot.  Noodles should be done in 20 minutes.  For standard lasagna noodles, cook per package directions.

Assemble:
     Layer as follows, in a flat baking dish with sides:
     1/3 Bechamel
     3 Tbsp heavy cream
     4 lasagna noodles
     1/2 the artichoke mixture
     1/2 cup Parmesan
     1/3 Bechamel
     4 lasagna noodles
     1/2 artichoke mixture
     1/3 Bechamel
     1/2 cup Parmesan
     4 lasagna noodles
     1/4 cup Parmesan
     2 Tbsp (or remaining) heavy cream

Bake, covered until last 10 minutes, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.