Orecchiette with Braised Artichokes
- 10 small fresh artichokes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing the pasta if you like
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper, or less to taste
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock (page 74) or canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 pound orecchiette pasta
- 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Clean the artichokes as described for fully edible artichokes, page 15, putting the pieces in water acidulated with the lemon juice as you go.
- When all the artichokes are cleaned, drain them thoroughly and slice them very thin.
- Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Scatter the garlic over the oil and cook, shaking the pan, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- Add the artichokes and crushed red pepper and season lightly with salt.
- Stir well to coat the artichokes with oil, and cook, stirring often, until the artichokes are softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Pour in 1 cup of the chicken stock, add the mint and parsley, and lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer.
- Cook until the artichokes are very tender and the liquid is reduced by about half, about 10 minutes more.
- Add the remaining stock as necessary to keep the artichokes moist as they cook.
- Stir the orecchiette into the boiling water.
- Return to a boil, stirring frequently.
- Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, 8 to 10 minutes.
- If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet.
- If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce.
- Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring to coat the pasta with sauce.
- Check the seasoning, adding salt if necessary.
- Pour in a drizzle of olive oil, if you like.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle the grated cheese over the pasta, and toss to mix.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls.
artichokes, lemon, salt, extravirgin olive oil, garlic, hot red pepper, chicken, fresh mint, fresh italian parsley, pasta, freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/orecchiette-with-braised-artichokes-375094 (may not work)