Pasta with Baby Artichoke Heart Saute

Baby artichokes are a completely different experience from their full-grown relatives. No fuzzy choke to scoop out, no tough inner leaves to peel away. Just trim, quarter, and they’re ready for the pan.

The lemon does double duty in this recipe. Half goes into a bowl of cold water to keep the quartered artichokes from oxidizing while you prep the rest. The reserved juice gets added to the skillet later alongside chicken broth to build a bright, brothy sauce.

Garlic goes into cold oil and heats up together so it turns evenly golden without burning. Once the drained artichoke quarters hit the hot pan, a quick saute gives them golden edges before the broth and lemon juice go in. The whole sauce comes together in minutes, and a handful of chopped fresh Italian parsley stirred in at the end keeps everything tasting clean and springy.

Toss this over any pasta shape you like. Something with ridges or curves, like penne or orecchiette, catches the brothy sauce well.

Kitchen Tips

• Pat the artichoke quarters thoroughly dry before adding to the pan; wet artichokes will steam instead of saute and won’t get those golden edges
• Use reduced or concentrated chicken broth for a more flavorful sauce that coats the pasta
• Work quickly when trimming the artichokes since they brown fast once cut

Variations

• Finish with a shower of shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of good olive oil
• Add cherry tomatoes and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicier, more colorful version
• Use vegetable broth to make this fully vegetarian