When I rarely find artichokes here in the Netherlands that don’t cost an arm and a leg, one of the recipes I like to make is this pasta and artichokes dish, a delicious and simple dish. Yes, here in the Netherlands I’ve seen artichokes for 4 euros each. And to think that the climate here is suitable for growing them… oh well!
Pasta and artichokes, even in this light version, is a very filling and nutritious vegan first course, given the many good properties of this vegetable. Artichokes are a bit tedious to clean, but this is the only negative note, otherwise they cook easily and don’t lose much volume, so they are very satisfying on the plate and in the belly!
We here at home like this dish a lot, and I hope you will too in this lighter version! Let’s see how to prepare it…
If you like artichokes, you must also try making them like this:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 5 oz pasta
- 6 artichokes (even more if small!)
- 1 lemon
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (2 measuring teaspoons)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- Points per serving = 8 WW points
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Pan Ballarini 26 cm
Steps
First, clean the artichokes and cut them into slices. Immediately place them in a bowl full of water with lemon juice: this way they won’t turn dark. Clean the garlic cloves and slice them.
Heat a non-stick pan well. I have been very satisfied, for years now, with this Ballarini Cortina Geostone, I’ve bought various sizes and nothing sticks!
Once the pan is hot, add 1 teaspoon of oil and the garlic slices and let it sauté over low heat for a minute. Then add the well-drained artichokes from the water and lemon. Let them flavor for a few minutes, stirring, and then add some salt and water, just a couple of tablespoons. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, you can start cooking the pasta.
When the artichokes are tender, adjust the salt, add the chopped parsley and the second teaspoon of oil. Mix and keep warm while the pasta finishes cooking.
As soon as the pasta is cooked, drain and pour it directly into the pan with the artichokes. Toss it in the seasoning for a minute, and if you like, add more parsley and freshly ground pepper.
Our light pasta and artichokes is ready to be served!
Here’s a delicious first course to prepare in a short time, truly appreciated by those who love this vegetable. You will obviously also need to add some Weight Watchers points for the proteins, and the meal will be complete. Do you have any other tricks for making good light pasta and artichokes? Let me know in the comments below or in my Facebook group, I’ll be waiting for you!
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
Suggestions
If garlic is a bit indigestible for you, you can put it whole in the pan and then remove it after it has released its flavor into the oil.
If you want, you can also blend part of the seasoning to get a very creamy effect!
You can prepare the seasoning in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. You will then just need to reheat it with a couple of tablespoons of pasta cooking water.
You can add a second course based on proteins, like this: Lentil Meatballs, or you can skip the second course and have yogurt and fruit as dessert.
