Marinated artichokes, pecorino, dill
I arrived in Rome for pasta school in early spring, when every market, trattoria and roadside
van is loaded with crates of globe artichokes. ‘Carcio£’, as they are called in Italy, can be
described as the vegetable of Rome, and while their season in and around Rome is shortlived,
artichokes are savoured all over the city – and I mean all over. I enjoyed them fried,
stewed, stu¥ed, braised, roasted and £nely shaved raw in punchy salads. At the height of the
season, Roman artichokes are marinated to extend their life well after they have disappeared
from the markets. There is even a festival that celebrates this humble ingredient – I’m told
that artichokes have a strong reputation as an aphrodisiac and can cause debauched sexual
revelling, so maybe this is why the season is celebrated so enthusiastically! Either way, I just
love how the Italians embrace seasonality with such gusto and white-hot passion. When it’s
here, it’s really here, and it should be enjoyed all the time. We could all take a little away
from that.
Here, I’ve skipped the handling of fresh artichokes – it can get rather hairy – and created
a¬sauce based around the avours of marinated artichokes. As the inspiration for this dish
comes from central Italy, pecorino is my cheese of choice, although Parmigiano Reggiano
works just as nicely.
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Serves 2
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
2 garlic cloves, nely chopped
1 bird’s eye chilli, deseeded and
nely chopped (use half if you
prefer less heat)
2 tablespoons baby capers,
rinsed and drained
170 g marinated artichoke hearts
in oil, drained and quartered
125 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon salted butter
handful of grated pecorino,
plus extra to serve
3 tablespoons chopped dill
fronds, plus extra to serve
FRESH PASTA FOR 2
maltagliati, linguine
DRIED PASTA FOR 2
spaghetti
Bring a large saucepan of water to a lively boil and season as
salty as the sea. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium
heat. Add the garlic and chilli and sauté for about 1 minute,
taking care not to burn the garlic. Throw in the capers, artichoke
and white wine and simmer for 5–8 minutes, until the liquid has
slightly reduced. Add the lemon zest to give everything a burst
of freshness and zing.
Using tongs, ing the pasta directly into the sauce, along with
60 ml (¼cup) of the cooking water. Add the butter, pecorino
and dill fronds and give everything a forceful stir, allowing the
sauce to emulsify. Add extra cooking water, 60 ml (¼ cup) at
a time, if things look like they need further loosening up.
Divide the pasta between bowls and serve with extra pecorino
and dill.