HEART-STUFFED SHELLS IN A RICOTTA SAUCE

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HEART-STUFFED SHELLS IN A RICOTTA SAUCE image

Categories     Pasta

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 23

Shells
18 jumbo pasta shells (approximately half of a 12-ounce box)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped small
12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup (1 1/4 ounces) finely grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sauce
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Steps:

  • Cook the shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and cook shells according to package directions. Make the filling: 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. Add the artichoke hearts and cook for about 5 minutes. 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. Add both cheeses, the yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper and pulse in the food processor until well chopped but still retains a little texture. Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the flour all at once and whisk it until smooth. Add the milk, whisking constantly so no lumps form. Once all the milk is added, add the garlic and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring frequently. Once boiling, it will immediately begin to thicken. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for two to three minutes before stirring in the ricotta, lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Adjust salt, pepper and lemon to taste. Assemble the dish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour two cups of sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Scoop one tblspn 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 immediately.

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