c/o Gemmarosa Ryan

Oh, the jarred artichoke! What a wondrous creation. I would eat these bottled beauties every day if I could. But, as one grows older and wiser, one realizes—to much dismay—that it is, indeed, dangerous to have too much of a good thing. So, when I allow myself a jar, it’s with both giddiness and caution that I ask myself: How can I best showcase these bleeding green hearts? This recipe comes from one such experiment, which, to much delight, turned out to be incredibly fruitful. Paired with a creamy white bean, fresh dill, and the bright punch of a whole lemon, this artichoke pasta will no doubt please all the palates it graces. 

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 1 can artichoke hearts (preferably in olive oil)
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon, for both zest and juice
• 1 handful dill 
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper 
• Pasta of choice (Rigatoni or anything tubular works best)

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Drain and rinse cannellini beans. Set aside. 
3. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat (use oil from the jar if artichokes are oil-packed)
4. Quarter the artichoke hearts into bite-sized pieces, and thinly slice three cloves of garlic.
5. Add artichoke hearts to the pan and cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. 
6. Add in garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. 
7. Turn heat to medium-low, and deglaze the pan with lemon juice. 
8. Add in cannellini beans, seasoning with salt and black pepper. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. 
9. When the pasta is cooked, add in lemon zest and chopped dill.
10. Add cooked pasta to the mixture along with some reserved pasta water until the sauce becomes emulsified. 
11. Top with parmesan and some more fresh lemon zest and dill. 

Gemmarosa Ryan can be reached at gryan@wesleyan.edu.