Spaghetti Served with Artichoke-Flavored Sauce

Pasta Coated in Artichoke-Infused Sauce

Cooking up a quick and classy pesto is a breeze with artichokes, ricotta, lemon, and herbs! This delightful blend works perfectly tossed with pasta for a scrumptious meal, or serve as a dip with crackers by skipping the pasta and cooking water.

What to Grab: Look for artichoke hearts canned in plain water instead of oil and seasonings to keep those flavors balanced. Store-bought ricotta is fine, or go the extra mile and make your very own homemade ricotta to take your dish to new heights! Any form of short, tubular pasta or small, shaped pasta will work marvelously in this dish. We adore rigatoni, but feel free to mix things up with ziti, penne rigate, conchigliette, or farfalle!

Now, it's time to get cooking! Here's the lowdown:

Servings: 4 to 6 (approximately 2 cups pesto)
Difficulty: Easy-peasy
Total Time: 20 minutes

Here's what you need:

Salt, kosher variety
Artichoke hearts (2 cans, 14 ounces each) in water, drained and rinsed
Whole-milk ricotta cheese (around 4 ounces, or you can make your own!)
Olive oil
Fresh basil leaves, packed and finely chopped
Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 ounce, plus extra for serving)
Lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
Freshly ground black pepper
Pasta (1 pound, such as rigatoni, according to your preference)

Steps to Success!

Get your water boiling! Bring a large saucepan filled with salted water to a roaring boil over high heat.
In a blender or food processor, combine the artichoke hearts, ricotta, and olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Transfer this fabulous green concoction to a medium-sized bowl. Mix in the basil, measured Parmesan, and zest. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Cook the pasta according to its directions until it's soft but still has a bite (aka al dente). Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta thoroughly.
Return the drained pasta to the saucepan, place it over medium heat, and stir in the artichoke pesto and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Cook until the cheeses begin to melt and everything is thoroughly combined, adding more pasta water, tablespoonful by tablespoonful, as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Taste, season with salt and pepper if needed, and serve right away with extra Parmesan on the side.

Wine Pairing:

Why not elevate your dining experience with a bottle of Hirsch Grüner Veltliner #1 from Austria? Grüner seems to go hand-in-hand with those tricky artichokes, with its lemon, mineral, and green herb flavors working seamlessly with the dish's exotic zest and herbs. Cheers to a successful meal!

And if you're feeling adventurous...

Make your very own homemade ricotta cheese! Here's a simple recipe you can try:

Ingredients:

Whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized)
White vinegar (or lemon juice)
Kosher salt

Instructions:

Heat the milk and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until it starts to simmer, avoiding a boil.
Gradually pour in the white vinegar, watching as the milk curdles and separates into curds and whey.
Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes while pushing the skin that forms towards the center to help the curds form completely.
Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. Gently spoon the curd mixture into the cheesecloth-lined colander, allowing the whey to drain off the curds.
For a creamy ricotta, drain for 5 to 10 minutes; for a firmer ricotta, drain for up to 30 minutes.
Use your homemade ricotta in the artichoke pesto pasta to add a delectable, rich texture to this delightful dish!

Artichoke hearts, being the main ingredient, should be canned in plain water to keep the recipe unsalted and balanced.
This artichoke pesto recipe, comprising fresh basil, Parmesan, lemon zest, and nutrient-rich artichokes, offers a versatile dish that can yield approximately 2 cups of pesto.
For optimum taste and texture, it is recommended to follow the instructions for cooking pasta like rigatoni, but feel free to explore other tubular pasta varieties like conchigliette or farfalle.
Uncategorized culinary endeavors can be elevated by incorporating homemade ricotta cheese into the artichoke pesto, which leads to an extra-special meal experience.