ARTICHOKE STUFFED SHELLS WITH LEMON RICOTTA BÉCHAMEL

Made this before going out on New Years Eve...best decision.
Makes: 3-4 servings                          Time: 1 hour

ARTICHOKE STUFFED SHELLS WITH LEMON RICOTTA BÉCHAMEL

Makes: 3-4 servings                          Time: 1 hour
Pasta:
  • 1 pound jumbo pasta shells (you only need three quarters, but I like to make the entire box since some break)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 16 ounces artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup grated Romano cheese
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Ground black pepper to taste
Bechamel Sauce:
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil leaves (optional)
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and cook shells according to package directions.
Make the filling:
  1. Melt butter in a heavy 12-inch skillet and cook it until it turns nutty and brown, stirring occasionally to keep the solids moving on the bottom of the pan. Once it is a nice nutty brown, add 1 tblspn olive oil, then the onions and cook them until they are lightly brown and caramelized, about 7 minutes.
  2. Add the artichoke hearts and cook for about 5-10 minutes, until soft. Add the wine and cook it until it completely disappears. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly, before transferring it to the bowl of a food processor.
  3. Add cheese, egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the artichokes and pulse in the food processor until chopped but still chunky.
Make the sauce:
  1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk it until smooth. Add the milk, whisking constantly so no lumps form.
  2. Once all the milk is added, add the garlic and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring frequently. Don't worry if it looks thin, it will begin to thicken as it heats up.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for two to three minutes. Then stir in the ricotta, lemon juice, salt and black pepper.
Assemble:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour about half of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Scoop one tablespoon of artichoke filling inside each cooked shell. Nest each pasta shell in the sauce, seam up. Dollop a spoonful of the remaining sauce over each shell. Cover the dish with foil and bake it for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake it for a final 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley or basil, if using, and serve while hot!