Pasta With Marinated Artichoke Sauce
Emma Laperruque
Photo by James Ransom. Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth. Food Styling by Kate Buckens.
- Serves
- 2
- Prep Time
- 10 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 Minutes
A jar of marinated artichokes might not look like a jar of pasta sauce, but guess what? In this Big Little Recipe, that’s exactly what it is. The best part? You don’t need to cook it, and the whole shebang comes together in less time than it takes for a pot of water to reach a boil. If you don’t have a food processor, a blender can step in. While you want a purée that’s silky and smooth, err on the side of too thick versus too thin—you can always add salty-starchy pasta water or more marinade to get the consistency right. Also remember that the sauce will stiffen as it sits. If red pepper flakes aren’t your thing, skip them, or swap in freshly ground black pepper. And if you don’t have Parmesan, pecorino would be nice, too, or even ground toasted nuts or nutritional yeast.
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) jar quartered marinated artichoke hearts
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 pound rigatoni (or another short pasta)
- Freshly grated Parmesan
- Red pepper flakes
Featured Video
Pasta With Marinated Artichoke Sauce
Directions
- Step 1
Set a pot of water over high heat to come to a boil.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, set a sieve over a bowl, then pour in the whole jar of artichoke hearts. Fill a 1/2-cup measure with artichokes and set those aside. Add the rest of the artichokes to a food processor, along with 1/4 cup of their marinade. Purée until smooth, adding more marinade if you’d like. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to a bowl.
- Step 3
When the water is boiling, generously season it with salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions.
- Step 4
While that’s cooking, halve the reserved artichokes lengthwise.
- Step 5
Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the hot pasta to the artichoke purée. Sprinkle with Parm and pepper flakes and toss. Add pasta water if needed. Top with the artichoke slivers, more red pepper flakes, and more Parm.