Pasta with Creamy Artichoke and Lemon Sauce Recipe
Delicate pasta with a creamy artichoke and lemon sauce is a dish that often appears in Italy in spring, when fresh artichokes flood the markets. The flavor is mild, slightly nutty and citrusy – something between a cream sauce and a light pesto.
This pasta combines a cream-based sauce with the delicately nutty flavor of artichokes and the freshness of lemon, reminiscent of a light green pesto. It’s strongly associated with Italian spring, when piles of fresh artichokes appear at the markets, but thanks to jarred artichoke hearts you can make it any time of year. The result is a sauce that coats the pasta beautifully without being as heavy as classic cream sauces.
Chef's tips
Drain the artichoke hearts very well and pat them dry so the sauce doesn’t turn out too watery and sour. Add the lemon gradually – first the zest, then the juice – tasting as you go, because it’s easy to overdo it and drown out the delicate flavor of the artichokes. Cook the pasta al dente and mix it with the sauce in the pan right away, adding a tablespoon or two of cooking water so everything comes together nicely.
How to serve
Serve this pasta with a glass of dry, mineral white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Vermentino. It’s perfect as a quick yet “restaurant-style” weekday dinner or a light dinner for two when you want something a bit more special than ordinary pasta with tomato sauce. A simple green salad with olive oil and lemon on the side is all you need.
Ingredients
- pasta (or another short pasta) - 320 g
- artichoke hearts in brine (weight after draining; you can use frozen artichokes) - 240 g
- 30% cream (you can replace it with 18% cooking cream) - 150 ml
- vegetable stock (can be from a cube, but mild in flavor) - 100 ml
- grated Parmesan (or another hard aged cheese) - 40 g
- garlic cloves (finely chopped) - 2 pieces
- unwaxed lemon (you need the zest and juice) - 1 piece
- olive oil (for frying) - 2 tablespoons
- butter (for a deeper sauce flavor) - 20 g
- fresh parsley (finely chopped) - 2 tablespoons
- salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of water for the pasta to a boil and lightly salt it.
- Drain the artichokes from the brine and cut them into smaller pieces. If using frozen artichokes, thaw them first and pat dry.
- Heat the olive oil with the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until it starts to smell fragrant but does not brown.
- Add the chopped artichokes and fry for 4–5 minutes, until they are lightly browned on the edges.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes, until the artichokes are very soft.
- In the meantime, cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the rest.
- Transfer the contents of the pan (artichokes with stock) to a tall container. Add the cream, the grated zest of half a lemon and 1–2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Blend with a hand blender until you get a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Pour the sauce back into the pan, add the grated Parmesan, stir and heat over low heat for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. If it is too thick, add a little pasta cooking water.
- Season the sauce with salt, pepper and, if needed, additional lemon juice. The sauce should be gently lemony, but not sour.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce and mix thoroughly so that every piece is coated. If the whole thing seems dry, add a bit more pasta water and mix again.
- Finally, sprinkle the dish with chopped parsley and a little more Parmesan on top. Serve immediately.
Storage
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1–2 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of water or cream to loosen the sauce and stirring until heated through.
