Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Lemon Ricotta Bechamel

Tags

artichoke, cheese, Italian, lemon, pasta, ricotta, stuffed, vegetarian

I love stuffed shells, artichokes, spinach and cheese. This recipe is the perfect combination of all these things. Be aware that it is rich and gooey and delicious and certainly not low calorie. It is a great recipe for a birthday or anniversary celebration or for just any old day you want pure decadence on a plate. Artichoke and Spinach Stuffed Shells with Lemon Ricotta Bechamel

(a variation of a recipe in the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)

The Shells and Stuffing:

• 18 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
• 1 large onion, diced
• 12 oz frozen artichokes, thawed and patted dry
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Black pepper to taste

The Sauce:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/8 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cups whole milk
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parsley or basil to garnish

Boil shells in salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and toss with a bit of olive oil to keep them from sticking together.

For the filling – In a heavy skillet or pot, melt the three tablespoons of butter and cook until it turns nutty brown, stirring occasionally. Once browned, add the olive oil then onion and saute until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until completely absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Transfer the artichoke mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Add both the cheeses, the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pulse the mixture in the food processor until well chopped but with some texture.

For the sauce – Melt the butter in a saucepan. Once melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth. Add the milk one bit at a time, whisking continuously so that no lumps form. Add the garlic and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the ricotta, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

To assemble – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour half of the sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 glass baking dish. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the artichoke filling into each shell, placing the filled shell seam side up. When each shell is full, spoon the remaining sauce over the shells. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the herb garnish and serve immediately.

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Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza

Tags

alfredo, artichoke, cheese, food, Italian, pizza, spinach, vegetarian

Michaelangelo: Ahh, ninja pizza!
Donatello: “Ninja pizza”?
Michaelangelo: Pizza that vanish quickly without trace!

Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp pesto
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and sqeezed dry
• 1 can of artichoke hearts, rinsed and squeezed dry, roughly chopped
• Pizza Crust

In a heavy saucepan, combine the cream, butter, and cream cheese over medium heat until melted together. Add in parmesan cheese, garlic, pesto and pepper; continue cooking for about 15 minutes or until thickened. On the baked pizza crust, pour the alfredo sauce and spread evenly. Top with spinach, artichokes, and cheese. Bake until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Tags

appetizer, artichoke, cheese, crockpot, dip, spinach

I love the spinach and artichoke dip you can get from places like O’Charlies and Applebee’s but I don’t want to have to pay $10 for an appetizer any time I have a craving. This recipe is an amalgamation (SCRABBLE word!!!) of about fifteen recipes. Some of them included mayo, sour cream. Some were hot, some were cold. I think this one is just about perfect.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

• 1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 can artichoke hearts, cut into a large dice
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, more for topping if you desire
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the above ingredients. Top with extra cheese if you desire. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly and browning on top. You could also put it in a crockpot on high for a couple of hours. Serve with bread slices or pita chips.

Artichoke and Spinach Strudel

Tags

appetizer, artichoke, Italian, spinach, strudel, vegetarian

I got this recipe originally from a Taste of Home issue. It is a variation, of course. The only (very minor) drawback to this recipe is that it makes too much filling.  To remedy that, I plan to use the excess as filling for ravioli. Not too much of a negative, huh?

Artichoke and Spinach Strudel

• 1 1/4 cups chopped baby portabello mushrooms
• 1/3 cup drailed oil packaed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 4 tsp oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, divided
• 1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 tbsp pest
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup artichoke hearts, cut into eighths
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 5 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 1 tube of crescent rolls

In a non-stick skillet, saute the mushrooms and tomatoes in half of the oil until the mushrooms are tender. Cool to room temp. In a bowl, combine the cooled mushrooms, tomatoes, pesto, spinach, pepper, cheese, artichoke hearts, and the parmesan cheese. Mix well. Unroll the crescent dough onto a cookie sheet. Seal the seams and perforations. Spread the filling in a strip down the middle.

On each long side, cut 1 inch strips within 1/2 inch of the dough.

At one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across the filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with pizza or spaghetti sauce for dipping.