I love artichokes, they are so good, full of antioxidants (one of the highest reported for vegetables), vitamins and studies have shown that artichokes aid digestion and liver function.
For this recipe I bought the violet ones, a variety cultivated in Sardinia, they are so tasty and incredibly tender despite the thorns. Please be careful when you clean them, I would say, manage them with care for the sake of your hands. But believe me, they are completely worth taking the risk 😉
For the pasta I chose Felicia Bio, an Italian organic brand that I like very much. I opted for Felicia bio “tortiglioni” with four cereals – a nice blend of rice, corn, buckwheat and quinoa – very tasty.
Let’s start with the artichokes: remove all but 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) or so of the stem.
Remove thorns, around a quarter of each scale can be cut off. Also remove the outer leaves one at a time.
Cut them in thin slices and put them in a large bowl where you previously squeezed two lemons.
Leave them soak for about 20 minutes.
The water with the lemon will help the artichokes staying white and bright once cut.
Let’s start cooking. In a large pan add 1 clove of garlic (you can chop it or not, I prefer not but it depends on your taste), 3 tblsp of extra virgin olive oil and let the garlic fry gently over low heat.
Once the garlic turns blond, rinse the artichokes, add them to the pan, and turn up the heat. Add a pinch of salt.
Let the artichokes cook gently.
They are ready when you can easily insert a fork in them. Usually it takes from 7 to 10 minutes to cook them but if you see that it takes longer depending on the variety of artichokes you have bought, add a couple of tablespoons of water.
At the same time let’s start cooking the pasta in a large pot with water.
When the water is boiling, add the pasta and then a pinch of salt. Felicia Bio pasta takes 6 up to 8 minutes to cook but from my personal experience with gluten free pasta, I suggest you taste the pasta regularly.
Whatever brand you use, gluten free pasta can turn from stone-hard to marshmallow-soft in a heart bit and depending on your taste – if you like it “al dente” or not – I advice to taste it regularly.
Once both the pasta and the artichokes are cooked, put the pasta in the pan with the artichokes and over medium high heat.
Stir gently for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the chopped parsley.
And don’t forget to grate the Parmesan cheese: here I chose the Grano Padano, it tastes sweeter than the Parmigiano Reggiano. However, they are both perfect for this recipe.
Buon appetito!
If you have any questions about this recipe, please don’t hesitate to ask me. I will be more than happy to come back to you.
