Carciofi (artichokes) have been native to Italy since Ancient Rome, with records tracing their consumption back as early as 300 BC. Though referred to as scacioffa in Pugliese, in the north of Italy they are known by “articiòch” or “articiocca”, aligning more with the English lexicon, where they grow abundantly both in the autumn and spring months. To this day, Italy remains the world’s largest exporter of artichokes, revealing the enduring love affair between the country and its Carciofi.
Anyone well versed in authentic Italian cooking will know that simplicity is the key to creating a tantalising dish. At Pasta Evangelists, our ethos is centred on creating authentic dishes with a keen focus on high-quality ingredients. We’ve kept that idea in mind when creating this recipe for vegetarian tagliatelle ai carciofi (tagliatelle with artichokes, parmesan and parsley) - showcasing delicate and fresh artichokes, an ingredient cherished in Italian cuisine. If you're making fresh tagliatelle from scratch, check out the video below to follow along as our Head Chef Roberta makes tagliatelle.
Our Artichoke Tagliatelle Recipe
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Calories per serving: 304 kcal
Ingredients
- 400g fresh tagliatelle
- 4 fresh artichokes
- 1 garlic clove, peeled but left whole
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- Vegetarian Italian hard cheese, to serve
- 2 lemons
Method
Step 1: Prepare your artichokes
Preparing an artichoke requires a little patience, but the end result is worth it. Follow the steps below, or watch how Chef Roberta does it in the video above.
- Fill a large bowl with cold water, then squeeze the juice of 2 lemons into it (you can leave the lemon halves in the water). Put the bowl to one side.
- Take your artichoke and slice off the stem with a sharp knife, then remove the dark external leaves by ripping them away from the bud with your hands. Remove and discard around two full layers of the outer petals, until you get to the yellow inner petals.
- Next, trim the stem and base with your knife, until the lighter, smoother flesh is exposed.
- Cut off and discard the tip of the artichoke, then cut it in half lengthways. Cut each half in two, then use a knife to carefully remove the fluffy inner core.
- Finally, cut each quarter into lengthwise slices, then submerge them in your bowl of water and lemon. Repeat this process for each artichoke.
Step 2: Make your sauce
- Put a large pan of salted water on to boil for your pasta, then heat a large sauté pan on medium. Remove the artichoke pieces from the water, squeezing out any excess water.
- Add the olive oil to the sauté pan along with your whole garlic clove, then fry for a minute, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add your artichokes, then turn the heat down to a medium low. Leave your artichokes to sauté for around 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add a ladle or two of your boiling water to your artichoke pan, then leave to cook away for around 20 minutes. Once the artichokes are soft, add your chopped parsley to the pan.
- Remove half of the cooked artichokes and your garlic clove from the pan, then blend with a ladle of the salted boiling water until you have a creamy sauce.
- Add the sauce back to the pan with the remaining artichokes, then turn the heat down to low.
Step 3: Cook the pasta
- Boil your fresh tagliatelle in salted water for 3-4 minutes, or until al dente. Drain your pasta, ensuring to reserve a little cooking water.
- Add your pasta to the artichoke mixture and toss vigorously, adding as much pasta water as you need to create luscious and glossy sauce.
- Serve your tagliatelle ai carciofi with more fresh parsley, freshly ground pepper and a generous helping of grated Italian cheese – buon appetito!
At Pasta Evangelists, we bring a taste of Italy to your kitchen. Prepared using the freshest ingredients, our gourmet pasta dishes are perfect for those looking to enjoy restaurant-quality meals, delivered to your door, and ready in under five minutes. Order from our weekly menu today, and we’ll offer you 25% off your first delivery - simply enter the code BLOG25 at checkout.
