Baked Orzo With Artichokes and Peas

This is a Greek-inspired pastitsio, a comforting béchamel-enriched mix of orzo, artichokes and peas. Rather than butter, the béchamel in this dish is made with a couple of glugs of good extra virgin olive oil.

Ingredients

• 1 recipe olive oil béchamel
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 small globe artichokes or 2 large globe artichokes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced, or 1 small bulb of green garlic, minced
• ¾ pound orzo (about 1 2/3 cups)
• ¾ cup shelled fresh peas (about 1 pound in the shells)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill
• 2 ounces Parmesan, grated (1/2 cup)

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    630 calories; 9 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 113 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 6 milligrams cholesterol; 253 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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6 servings

Preparation

1. Make the béchamel and set aside.
2. Prepare the artichokes. Fill a bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Cut away the stem and the top third of each artichoke, break off the leaves and trim them down to the bottoms, placing them in the water as you go along. Quarter them and slice large quarters about 1/4 inch thick. Save the leaves and steam them; serve them as a first course or a side dish.
3. Drain the artichoke hearts and dry on a clean dish towel. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the sliced artichoke hearts and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn down the heat and add the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and remove from the heat.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the orzo. Cook 5 minutes, add the peas and continue to boil for another 4 minutes, until the orzo is just tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the artichokes, herbs, béchamel and Parmesan and stir together until the sauce coats all of the other ingredients. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
5. Place in the oven and bake 30 minutes, until lightly colored on top.

• Advance preparation: You can prepare the béchamel and the artichokes a day ahead and keep in the refrigerator. Gently reheat the sauce and whisk well before assembling the pastitsio. The assembled casserole can sit for several hours before baking.

1 hour 10 minutes