Pasta with braised artichoke sauce

We love artichokes and I am happy they are available year round, although I generally follow the produce of the season.. I particularly love the baby ones that arrive in the spring and have used them in quite a few dishes, including this one. I tend not to get the canned or bottled artichokes as they are briny and/or vinegary, they taste tangy and detract from the dish. I have found that most Mediterranean stores and some grocery stores now have frozen artichoke hearts, they are cleaned, and perfect. This recipe was made with fresh artichokes. This book is one of my early purchases when I started cooking. An amazing book with simple and delicious recipes for everything Italian, bruschetta, risotto, tarts, pasta and so much more. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes Italian food.

For more recipes from this cookbook click here.

ingredients

1 lemon, halved

4-6 artichokes, frozen okay.

2 cups water

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, minced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 28-oz can of peeled tomatoes, preferably Italian plum tomatoes, minced

2 teaspoons dried Italian oregano 1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pound pasta, fettuccine, spaghetti or other long pasta

2 tablespoons parsley, minced

Parmesan cheese (Omit fir vegan version)

If using fresh artichokes, prepare a bowl with water and lemon juice. peel and clean them keeping the hearts immersed in the lemon water so they do not discolor. Here is how to clean an artichoke.

Heat a pot with the oil on medium heat and add the onions. Sauté with some salt till the onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes, Do not let them turn golden. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the artichokes and mix them in well getting the artichokes coated in the oil.

Add 1 cup water and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally till the water has almost completely evaporated. By this time the artichokes should be cooked, you can check them by inserting a toothpick into the heart, it should be very soft.

Add the tomatoes, oregano and sugar, mix well and simmer for about 30 minutes. At this time you should have a fairly thick sauce and the oils should start floating to the top. Taste and adjust for salt.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to the directions on the packet. Leave the pasta “al dante”. Drain.

Either mix the sauce in with the pasta or ladle the sauce onto the pasta. Top with some minced parsley and shredded Parmesan cheese.