Crispy Artichoke Pasta

I LOVE ARTICHOKES ! Crispy artichokes ? I fondly remember those visits to Rome snacking on delectable crispy fried artichokes sipping a delightful glass of Frascati . When I came across this recipe from the New York Times, I had to try it. Their secret is using canned artichokes. Mine is to use fresh frozen, thawed artichoke hearts. (And a few other tweaks of my own.)

To get them to perfect crispness remove as much water from the artichokes as possible by pressing them gently with paper towels ( much like you would tofu). Some of the artichokes are fried in olive oil to get them to their ultimate crispiest, while the rest cook gently in more oil with the addition of garlic and chili. (Photo credit & ADAPTED from Emma Fishman & Andy Baraghani of the NY Times)

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings 

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 1 pound short cut ridged pasta, such as rigatoni, mezze maniche or penne rigate

  • Two (14-ounce) cans whole or quartered artichoke hearts OR Two (12 oz) packages of THAWED frozen artichoke hearts ( I find them at Trader Joes, but Birds Eye has sells them if you can find them at a regular supermarket)

  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, Trampolini Black Label is best

  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or pressed

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or Silafunghi Calabrian Chili Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 

  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

  • ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley 

  • Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook the pasta until a bit firmer than al dente, about 2 minutes less 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 ¼ 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 ¼ 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 1½ 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.

Vegetables, PastaErsilia MorenoTrampolini Black Label, artichokesComment