Pasta with artichokes

This is a simple recipe which can be made quickly and easily any night of the week – selecting your artichokes is key, I sometimes use Globe artichokes, smaller and more tender, available at Trader Joe’s. Make sure the leaves are tightly bound together, not loose and falling off. I will assume you are acquainted with how to clean and prepare an artichoke. If you are not, there are plenty of websites that will walk you through the process.

INGREDIENTS:

4 ARTICHOKES – Cleaned, trimmed and quartered and stored in water with the juice of one lemon to avoid blackening of the leaves.

¼ cup Olive Oil

½  Cup of chopped parsley.

½ Onion finely diced

2 Garlic cloves, chopped.

Good splash of dry white wine.

1 ½  Cups Chicken Broth

Pinch of salt

A Few Grinds of Black Pepper

Grated Parmiggiano

1 Pound Pasta of your choice

In a deep sauté pan, heat the oil. Add the onion until nicely cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley and mix well with onions.  Remove the quartered artichokes from the water and pat dry, slice these into thin slices. Add to the onion and parsley mixture along with the chopped garlic. Saute making sure artichokes are well coated, about 3 minutes. Add the white wine, deglaze the pan and let the alcohol burn off – about 1 to 2 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper, mix once more. Add the chicken broth, mix well, bring to a simmer and cover. Leave it alone for at least 30 minutes. Check for doneness by piercing with a fork and making sure outer leaves are not tough. Then let simmer 10 minutes more to ensure cooked all the way through and all liquid reduces well to a saucy consistency. Heat a pot of water to a boil add a fist full of salt and pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and add to the artichoke sauce, mix well, add a fist full of grated Parmesan and you’ve got a scrumptious plate of pasta. Serves 4.

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