Pasta con carciofi (Pasta with Artichokes)

Pasta with Artichokes can be done in less than 15 minutes. I usually time it so the sauce and the pasta are ready almost simultaneously. Pasta with Artichokes falls in the category of fast pasta that needs no preparation at all, can be made in less than 30 minutes, and makes a great dinner for 4-5 people — same as all the great quick pasta dish recipes. I've used frozen artichokes in this recipe. Peeling an artichoke can be an exhausting job, and we do want a fast dinner here. The artichoke season isn't long, the frozen ones are great quality, and they just need a few minutes in boiling water. Here's my tip, I actually cook the artichokes with the pasta. This saves time and gives an earthy flavor to the pasta — then you just strain the pasta, pick out the artichokes, slice them, and immediately add them to the sauce. I also don't sear the artichokes — instead I cook them for a few more minutes with the chicken stock and the cream. Don't get me wrong, searing the artichokes is great — I definitely welcome it, it adds earthy flavor. But if you want a quick pasta with artichokes and you're short on time, make sure to prepare the sauce at the same time as the pasta and artichokes are cooking, so the sauce is waiting for the artichokes and not the other way around.

This pasta is full of flavor. I add the parsley only once the pasta and sauce are off the heat, mixing it in a bowl. It keeps the parsley fresh and green — but more importantly, my kids like a creamy white sauce without parsley, so I serve them with the clean, smooth sauce and only add the parsley and Parmesan after.

A few variations for Pasta with artichokes

You can take it to the lemony side (artichokes love lemon!) and replace the chicken stock with ½ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, then finish with lemon zest. Taking this dish in a spicy direction is just as good — you can add dried or fresh chili peppers to the pasta. The artichoke has a real earthy flavor, so anything in that range is welcome. Sometimes I like to top the dish with arugula — it adds a real earthy flavor and a crunchy texture.