These Artichoke Ravioli with Dill Bechamel use one of my favorite spring vegetables of all time: artichokes. Artichokes, which are really a large flower bud, are a delicious ingredient that my family has prepared in the spring for as long as I can remember. The most classic way that I ate it growing up (and still do today!) was as a “stuffed artichoke.” My mother and grandmother stuff the artichokes with pecorino cheese, herbs, and breadcrumbs, making for a tender and savory filling to be eaten along with each leaf. I decided to capture those flavors in the filling of these ravioli and blanket them all in a simple, silky, dill bechamel. Each bite is bursting with flavor and takes me right back to those classic, Italian stuffed artichokes.
Making homemade pasta, as always, is a labor of love, and is a task that I usually enjoy doing. However, if you are short on time, you can always use these same flavors to make ravioli using wonton wrappers. After all, the filling and sauce is what we are really after here, right?
And the sauce and filling are really a snap to put together. Don’t let the recipe intimidate you, these flavors are worth it!
The filling of these ravioli has all the classic flavors from Italian stuffed artichokes – pecorino cheese, garlic, herbs, and artichoke hearts. Then, to provide a little texture, instead of mixing the breadcrumbs into the filling, I toast them and sprinkle over the top. This adds an extra salty, crunchy component that takes these ravioli from comforting to addicting.
Looking for other spring dishes? Try these:
Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus Noodles
Sugar Snap Pea and Radicchio Slaw
I hope you love these Artichoke Ravioli with Dill Bechamel as much as I do! If you make this recipe, leave a comment and let me know what you thought or feel free to ask a question! I’d also love to see what you made! Tag me in your food pics @fortheperfectbite or use #fortheperfectbite on Instagram.
Artichoke Ravioli with Dill Bechamel
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Pasta Roller
Ingredients
Artichoke Filling
- 12 oz. artichoke hearts
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp dried dill
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup pecorino romano cheese, grated
- ⅓ cup half and half
Pasta Dough (or Wonton Wrappers)
- 3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup water
- 1 egg white (for sealing the ravioli)
- OR 100 wonton wrappers
Dill Bechamel
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cup milk
- 2 tsp fresh dill, chopped (or ½ tsp dried dill)
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Toasted Breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Artichoke Filling
- In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the artichoke hearts and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes (15 if starting from frozen).
- Roughly chop the garlic and add to the artichokes. Stir in the dried dill and kosher salt, then cook until the garlic is just softened, about 4 minutes more.
- Stir the pecorino romano cheese and half & half into the artichokes. Cook until the mixture just begins to simmer, then remove from the heat.
- Pour the artichoke mixture into a food processor and blend until smooth.Scoop the mixture into a zip-top bag and set aside until you are ready to assemble the ravioli.
Pasta Dough (skip if using Wonton Wrappers)
- If using a stand mixer: Combine flour, eggs and egg yolk, olive oil, salt, and water in the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix on low speed until fully combined, then scoop onto a clean countertop. Knead the dough (adding more water if dry and cracking, 2 tsp at a time) until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes, then form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until ready to roll.
- If preparing by hand: Pour the flour into a pile on a clean countertop. Make a well in the center of the flour. Pour the eggs, egg yolk, olive oil, and water into the well. Using a fork, scramble the eggs. Begin to scoop flour from the sides of the well and mix into the egg, a little at a time, being careful not to break a side of the well.Continue incorporating flour into the eggs until a loose dough is formed, then begin kneading the rest of the flour into the dough with your hands. When all the flour has been incorporated, knead the dough (adding more water if dry and cracking, 2 tsp at a time) until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes, then form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until ready to roll.
Artichoke Ravioli with Dill Bechamel
- When the pasta dough and carrot filling is done, prepare to form the ravioli.*If you are using wonton wrappers, skip straight to filling step.
- Roll the dough: Using a pasta roller, roll out the pasta dough in 4-5 batches, progressively making it thinner, until you can just see your fingers through the dough (setting 7 or 8 on my pasta roller).Roll out each piece of dough and lightly dust with flour, brushing off excess. Run the dough through the widest setting on the pasta roller. Progressively roll the dough through thinner and thinner settings. Return the dough sheet to a baking sheet, cover with a damp towel and repeat until all the dough has been rolled. If you have a ravioli mold, lay a piece of dough over the mold. Fill and crimp pasta as instructed by your model.If not, slice the dough into 2 ½ inch by 2 ½ inch squares.
- Fill the ravioli: Snip off a small corner of your zip-top filling bag. Pipe about 2 tsp filling into the center of half of your pasta squares or wonton wrappers.Using your finger or a small brush, lightly brush egg white along the edges of the dough. Then, top each square with another square of dough or wonton wrapper. Press the edges together, gently removing any air from the filling, and crimp the edges closed with a fork.Repeat until you run out of dough or filling.*Ravioli can be refrigerated for a day or so or frozen for a few months at this step, if not cooking immediately.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Once boiling, gently lower the ravioli into the water. Boil until the ravioli have begun to float on the surface, then 1 minute longer.
- While the ravioli cook, make the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk the flour into the melted butter until combined.
- Cook the flour and butter mixture, stirring constantly, until bubbling and beginning to turn golden, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk the milk and dill into the flour and butter. Simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Make the breadcrumbs: In a separate small skillet, warm 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs, parsley, ½ tsp cracked black pepper and ¼ tsp salt.Toast the breadcrumbs until just golden, stirring often, 3-4 minutes.
- When the ravioli have finished cooking, transfer them from the boiling water into the skillet with the bechamel.
- Stir to evenly coat the ravioli in the sauce.
- Sprinkle the pasta with the toasted breadcrumbs. Serve immediately, and enjoy.
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