Artichokes Stuffed With Ricotta Recipes

ROASTED ARTICHOKES WITH RICOTTA AND PEAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Squeeze one lemon half into a large bowl of cold water. Pluck off all tough leaves from one artichoke, until you reach leaves that are pale and soft. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, peel stem and trim base of artichoke, then dunk it in lemon water to keep it from browning. Cut off the top 1/3 of artichoke and discard. Slice artichoke lengthwise into quarters; remove any inner purple leaves and scoop out the fuzzy choke if there is one. Put the quarters in the lemon water and leave them there as you cut remaining artichokes.
• Drain the artichokes, shaking them well to remove excess water. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss artichokes with oil and salt. Roast until golden and tender, 25 to 35 minutes, tossing them halfway through.
• Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Slip in peas; cook for 1 to 2 minutes until tender, then drain.
• In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, lemon zest and kosher salt to taste. Spread out on a plate, and top with peas, artichokes, mint, flaky sea salt and lemon juice to taste. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Serve with crostini if desired.

THE BEST STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Cut top 1/4 of an artichoke off and discard. Trim off the top 1/2 inch from remaining leaves. Cut off bottom inch from stalk to create a flat bottom. Turn artichoke upside down and bang on surface to loosen the leaves. Zest 3/4 teaspoon of lemon zest from the lemon and set aside. Cut lemon in half and rub cut leaves and stem of artichoke with lemon. Repeat artichoke prep with remaining artichokes.
• Combine reserved lemon zest with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and stir well.
• Sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly into all the artichoke leaves, avoiding the thistle leaves in the direct center. Work mixture evenly into each crevice of each artichoke until all of the mixture is used.
• Pour water in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Add remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Set artichokes in the pot so that they are touching, so that they may remain upright during cooking. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the leaves release very easily, about 1 hour.
• Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with more parsley if desired. Serve warm or room temperature.

BRAISED ARTICHOKES WITH RICOTTA AND SPINACH STUFFING

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.