Frequently I get home from a long day at work, take a look in my fridge and pantry, and realize I haven’t been to the grocery store in at least 2 weeks….Needless to say, in times like this, it’s important to fall back on some classic, simple food that you probably have most of the ingredients for already.
I was first turned on to a similar recipe like this while living in a small, dark apartment with limited food options nearby. A close take-out Italian place offered a dish called “Linguine Aglio e Olio,” which basically translates to “pasta with lots of garlic and olive oil. ” It was such a simple dish, but incredibly satisfying and certainly a dish that pretty much anyone could make. The garlic is intense, but I’m certainly a proponent of “the more garlic the better” philosophy.
Start by boiling a large pot of water.
While the water is coming to boil, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt over low heat in a 10-inch nonstick skillet. Stir often until the garlic is sticky, foamy, and straw-colored, about 10 minutes. Remove the mixture from heat and transfer the garlic to a small bowl.
Cooked garlic (left) vs Raw garlic (right)
Once your water is boiling, add the spaghetti (I always use whole grain, but use what you’d like) and 1 tablespoon of salt and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, drain the spaghetti and return it to the now empty pot.
While the pasta is cooking, Add 2 packages of thawed, frozen artichokes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt back in to the skillet you used for the garlic. Cook until the artichokes are lightly browned and tender, about 6 minutes.
Once you’ve added the spaghetti back into the pot, stir in the parsley, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, sautéed garlic, cooked artichokes, and the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
Serve, passing Parmesan cheese separately.
Basic. Simple. Delicious.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt/Pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 (9-ounce) package of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
- Parmesan cheese, for passing
Original Recipe, The Best 30-Minute Recipe
Serves 4 to 6
I have a love of artichokes that borders on retarded… I’m definitely going to have to try this!
I used to have the hardest time finding frozen artichokes in my grocery store…Finally, they put in a Trader Joes near me and they carry them, in case you have a similar problem!