Crispy Artichoke Pasta
Fast enough for a Tuesday night mad dash to dinner, this pantry pasta tastes more like a restaurant dish — and no one has to deal with trimming and pruning a spiky artichoke. Instead, canned artichokes are brought to the peak of their crispy potential. The key is to remove as much water from the artichokes as possible by pressing them gently with paper towels (as you would tofu). Some of the artichokes are fried in olive oil until shatteringly crisp, then the rest cook gently in more oil, along with garlic and chile flakes, to soften. They’re all mixed with pasta and Parmesan into a stunning weeknight meal.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- Salt and black pepper
- 1pound short cut pasta, such as rigatoni or gemelli
- Two (14-ounce) cans whole or quartered artichoke hearts
- ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- ½cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- ⅓cup finely chopped parsley
Instructions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then season generously with salt. Cook the pasta until a bit firmer than al dente, about 2 fewer minutes than listed on the package. (It’ll finish cooking in the sauce.) Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, then drain.Step 2
While the water comes to a boil, drain the artichokes and place on a clean kitchen towel (or paper towels). Cover with another kitchen towel (or paper towels), and gently press down to remove the excess water. Give the artichokes a rough chop.Step 3
Line a plate with paper towels. Set another large pot over medium-high heat, and pour in 1/4 cup oil. When the oil is hot, after 1 to 2 minutes, add one-third of the artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply brown and crisp in most spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the artichokes, transfer to the lined plate and season with salt.Step 4
Adjust heat to medium, add the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the remaining artichokes to the pot, along with the garlic and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to soften and everything smells very good, 2 to 3 minutes.Step 5
Add the drained pasta and 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water and bring to a simmer, still over medium heat. (This may seem like a lot of liquid, but it will thicken when the remaining ingredients are added.) Add the butter and sprinkle in the Parmesan and continue to cook, tossing vigorously, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy and clings to the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. If the sauce looks too thick, add more pasta water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.Step 6
Divide among bowls or plates. Sprinkle the reserved crispy artichokes and more Parmesan on top before serving.