Baby artichoke hearts and preserved lemon pasta

Artichoke is such an amazing vegetable that is beautiful and delicious. It is actually the bud of a flowering plant called the thistle. The leaves hide a tender heart.

The soft inside leaves of artichokes and their meaty core are called artichoke hearts. You can definitely eat them out of the jar, roasted, sautéed or braised.

Artichokes are low in fat, high in fiber and contain vitamins and minerals. They are also a good source of antioxidants.

Preserved lemon are lemons that have been pickled in salt and their own juices. They just add a lot of flavors and some umami.

So here is an easy vegetarian pasta dish. It’s filling, full of flavors and I don’t think it will disappoint you! And you can serve a really beautiful plate!

INGREDIENTS FOR 2 SERVINGS

• 4 – 6 oz. dry pasta

• 1 tablespoon lemon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon garlic olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic chopped

• 1 tablespoon dry basil

• 1 tablespoon dry parsley

• 2 – 3 slices of preserved lemon chopped

• 1 tablespoon capers chopped

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• salt and pepper

• a pinch of red pepper flakes

• 3 – 4 whole baby artichokes hearts in water cut in half

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a pot, put the water, boil and cook your pasta according to packaging.
  

• Put the lemon and garlic olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat, add the garlic and cook until it gets a little softer.
  

• Add the preserved lemon, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, white wine and capers and cook down for a few minutes.
  

• Slice the artichokes lengthwise and grill them in a pan with garlic olive oil so they get some color.
  

• Drain the pasta and add them to the sauce, mix well and plate. Add the grilled artichokes, one slice of lemon and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
  

Bon appétit!