It’s artichoke season in Italy, which means that the streets of Rome are wafting with the heavenly smell of fried, sautéd and raw artichoke. Tossed into a fresh and velvety pasta, artichoke is the heart of this delicious and simple dish. You can always swap out the jarred artichoke hearts in this recipe for fresh if you have access to them, just note that it will take slightly longer to prepare. 

SWEET PEPPER ARTICHOKE PENNE

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

▢ 1 box Penne
▢ 1 14 oz jar artichoke hearts, drained
▢ 4 tbsp EVOO
▢ 1 lemon, zested
▢ 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
▢ 1/2 cup white wine
▢ Pinch Chili Pepper Flakes
▢ 1 jar Sweet Pepper Pesto
▢ 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
▢ 1/4 cup fresh torn basil
▢ salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt. Cook the rigatoni until al dente, roughly 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Place a large deep pan over medium-high heat with olive oil and artichoke hearts. Sauté the artichoke hearts until they begin to brown, roughly 10 minutes. Add the shaved garlic and lemon zest and sauté until the garlic begins to slightly brown, roughly 1-2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with white wine and cook down until reduced by half.

3. Add the chili pepper flakes, Sweet Pepper Pesto, Penne, 1/4 cup pasta water, 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and the torn basil. Toss to coat, stirring until the pasta water is fully absorbed and the noodles are coated in the sauce. Serve with a showering of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

4. Mangiamo.