Artichoke Cannelloni
24 baby artichokes - or canned artichoke hearts - not marinated
2 lemons
8 ounces uncooked cannelloni
1 1/2 cups lowfat mozzarella cheese -- diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup skim milk -- or soymilk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
If you're using fresh artichokes, fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze
the juice of 1/2 lemon into it. Reserve both lemon halves. Peel away any hard
green leaves from each artichoke and slice off the top of each stem. Cut away
the yellow leaves as close to the base as possible, then skin the base and the
stem, removing the tough, green outside layer. Remove the fuzzy "choke" (center
part) with the tip of a knife and discard it. Cut each artichoke in half and rub
the squeezed lemon half over all surfaces, then drop the artichokes into the
bowl of water. When all the artichokes are trimmed, drain and rinse them; then
place them in a pan with enough water to cover. Simmer, covered, over medium
heat until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and set aside. If you're using canned
artichoke hearts, drain and set aside. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling
salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, dice the artichokes and combine with the
diced mozzarella. Add salt.
Peel the rind from the uncut lemon, being careful to keep it in one or two large
pieces; set aside. Juice this lemon and the remaining 1/2 lemon; set aside the
juice. When the artichoke mixture and pasta are ready, pour the milk into a
small pot and add the lemon rind. Heat until the milk begins to bubble; then
remove the lemon rind and remove the pot from the heat. In a separate pan, melt
the butter or margarine over low heat and whisk in the flour, 1 teaspoon at a
time, stirring constantly. When all the flour has been added, continue to cook
and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly add hot milk,
stirring constantly. Add the reserved lemon juice. Over low heat, cook and stir
until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Spread a little sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch
baking pan. If you're using fresh pasta, roll each rectangle around a portion of
the artichoke mixture and place the cannelloni in the baking pan; if you're
using uncooked cannelloni, prepare the pasta according to the package
directions; drain and let cool. Stuff each piece with the artichoke mixture and
place in the pan. Spread the remaining sauce over the top. Cover the pan with
foil and bake 15 minutes. |