I love, love, love artichoke hearts!! I have never actually cooked fresh artichokes myself and it is something that I keep meaning to do but haven’t gotten around to yet. Artichoke hearts can be used in so many ways:
antipasto platters, pizza, dips, paella and of course pasta. When I was first coming up with this recipe, I was worried that it would be too bland and maybe too dry without a sauce but my first bite quashed any concerns I had. It is really delicious!
Even though you’re still eating pasta, it feels a lot lighter than a heavier bolognese or a cream based sauce. You could serve it in summer with a crisp salad or add some crusty bread slathered in vegan margarine and you have a yummy winter dish ready to warm your tummy.Not all tinned artichoke hearts are the same. I have found that some have really chewy outer leaves of the hearts and while I know that fresh artichoke hearts can be chewy I prefer them softer. The ‘Sandhurst’ brand of artichoke hearts I buy from the supermarket are just so delicious and nice and soft so they are perfect for blitzing into dips or using for any purpose.
This dish reheats well the next day too. I reheat in the microwave and before I do that, I just add a little bit of water over the top and it stops it from becoming dry and it is every bit as delicious as when it was fresh from the stove!
NOTES: You can buy nutritional yeast from any health food shop and some supermarkets. It is used in vegan cooking as an alternative to the salty savory flavour of Parmesan cheese.
- 2 bottles of marinated artichoke hearts copped into quarters (280g / 10oz)
- 1 lemon – juice & zest (chopped)
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast *
- 2 tbsp sea salt for pasta cooking water
- sea salt & pepper for seasoning
- olive oil
- 3 tbsp flat leaf parsley - finely chopped
- 150g gluten free fettuccine
- Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add 2 tbsp of sea salt. Add fettuccine. If you are using gluten free pasta, it is important to use a pasta spoon to make sure that all of the strands are separated. Gluten free pasta can sometimes stick together if you don’t do this a few times while it is cooking.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a frypan over medium heat, add oil, heat and then add garlic. When garlic has started cooking, add artichoke hearts. Mix through until heated. Add a pinch of sea salt, lemon zest and ½ the lemon juice.
- When pasta is ready, drain. I usually keep about 3 tablespoons of the cooking water and I add it to the dish once everything else is mixed through. Place pasta back into the pot you cooked it in.
- Add artichokes to pasta, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and parsley and ground black pepper. If you want to add the reserved cooking water, do that now. Mix through and serve.
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