BRAISED ARTICHOKES WITH RICOTTA AND SPINACH STUFFING

Braised Artichokes with Ricotta and Spinach Stuffing image

Provided by Tyler Florence

Time 1h5m

Yield 2 to 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

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2 whole artichokes
1/2 lemon, plus 2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth or water
2 garlic cloves, plus 5 garlic cloves, sliced, divided
4 sprigs parsley, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1 egg
8 ounces grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Steps:

Wash artichokes under cold water. Using a stainless steel knife, trim the outer part of the stems. Pull off the lower petals that are small and tough. Cut off the top inch of the artichoke then cut in half, top to bottom. Rub with half a lemon to preserve the green color. Put the oil, broth, garlic, lemon and herbs in a casserole pan. Place the artichoke halves in the liquid face down. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes until tender.
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes, 3 cloves of sliced garlic and spinach. Stir in the egg and about 6 ounces of cheese; season with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, oil, remaining slices of garlic, remaining cheese and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Remove the artichokes from the pan and carefully scoop out the chokes. Fill the cavity of artichoke with the cheese mixture and place on a baking pan. Sprinkle the tops with the bread crumb mixture. Broil for 5 minutes until the cheese is warm and the crumbs are browned. Serve with lemon wedges.