Tasty Tuesdays: Artichoke & Spinach Stuffed Shells

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Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

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I loved this pasta dish.  Loved it.  It is one of the best things I have cooked in awhile.  The ricotta cheese sauce might seem like it would be heavy, but it wasn't at all.   And the white wine added an amazing flavor - do not skip it!  And while we are on the topic of wine, I am not a white wine drinker, so I like to keep little single size servings of white wine in my pantry for recipes that call for it. 

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{ Recipe adapted from a Smitten Kitchen recipe shared on Bon Appetit }

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Ingredients for Shells:

18 - 20 jumbo pasta shells (approximately half of a 12-ounce box)

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped small

12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

- 5 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 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

Ingredients for Sauce:

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk (I used skim and it worked just fine)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon 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)

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1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook shells according to package directions.  Drain and toss with a dash of olive oil to keep from sticking.  Set aside for now.

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2.  Melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook it until it turns nutty and brown.  Stir occasionally to keep the butter moving on the bottom of the pan. Once it is a nice brown, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, then the onions and cook them until they are lightly brown and caramelized.  This should take 5 - 7 minutes.  Let me tell you this smelled amazing!

3.  Add the artichoke hearts and spinach and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and stir until it completely disappears.

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4.  Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly.  Add cheese, the yolks, lemon juice, salt and black pepper and stir until combined.  Cover and set aside while you make the sauce.

5.  Time to 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, a small amount at a time. Whisk constantly so no lumps form. Once the mixture has reached a batter-like consistency, you can begin adding the milk in larger pours at a time, whisking the whole time. 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.
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6.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour two cups of sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Scoop some of artichoke filling inside each cooked shell.  Nest each pasta shell in the sauce, seam up.  Pour remaining sauce over shells. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Then remove the foil and bake it for a final 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley or basil, if desired, and serve immediately.

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Like I said, I loved this dish!  It was delicious.
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What did you cook this week?

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