photo courtesy of YC Media
It is artichoke season and what better way to use those fresh artichokes than in a delicious pasta dish! In the The Silver Spoon: Pasta cookbook there are more than 13 easy-to-make and delicious artichoke dishes. One of them is these wonderful Artichoke Cannelloni.
Recipe From The Silver Spoon: Pasta, Phaidon Press 2009
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Serves 4
Basic Cannelloni Recipe
Preparation time: 35 minutes, plus 1 hour resting
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Makes 12 cannelloni
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, preferably Italian type 00
(Note: I used the 00 flour from The Sausage Debauchery)
4 eggs
Salt
Sift the flour into a mound on a counter and make a well in the center. Break the eggs into the well and add a pinch of salt. Knead thoroughly, then roll out on a lightly floured counter into a thin sheet. Cut into 4-inch squares. Cook the pasta squares, a few at a time in plenty of salted boiling water for a few minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, refresh under cold running water, and spread out on a clean dish towel to dry. They are then ready for your chosen filling.
1 quantity Cannelloni (see recipe above)
For the filling:
4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing
Juice of ½ of lemon, strained
6 globe artichokes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Scat 1 cup beef stock
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 quantity béchamel sauce (see recipe below)
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400⁰F and grease an ovenproof dish with butter. Half-fill a large bowl with water and stir in the lemon juice. Break off the artichoke stalks and remove and discard the coarse outer leaves. Thinly slice, discarding the chokes, then add the acidulated water to avoid discoloration.
Melt the butter in a pan. Add the onion, garlic, and parsley and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Drain the artichokes, add to the pan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle in the flour and nutmeg and stir well to mix. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring until smooth and thoroughly combined, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat, let cool slightly, then transfer the mixture to a food processor, and process until smooth. Alternatively, push the mixture through a meat grinder. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, if necessary. Stir in the egg, and a little Parmesan, and béchamel sauce.
Spread a little artichoke mixture on each cannelloni square and roll up. Put them into the prepared dish in a single layer, pour the remaining béchamel sauce over and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
Béchamel Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 ¼ cups lukewarm milk
Melt the butter in a pan. Stir in the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Gradually stir in the milk, a little at a time. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, lower the heat, and simmer gently, stirring constantly, for 20 minutes until thickened and smooth.
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