Fettuccine with Artichokes
Instructions:
- 5 large artichokes
- 1/2 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter (105 g)
- 1 pound dried fettuccine (450 g)
- 1 cup heavy cream (230 ml)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus leaves to decorate the dish
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (100 g)
- Clean the artichokes, as explained on page 211. Cut the artichokes in half, lay them cut side down on a cutting board, and cut lengthwise into thin slices. Put them into a bowl of cold water. Squeeze the juice of the half lemon into the bowl and add the lemon half as well.
- When almost ready to serve the pasta, put on to boil 5 quarts of water with 2 tablespoons coarse salt.
- Drain the artichoke slices on paper towels. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and saute the artichokes until they are tender but still al dente. (Start testing after 2 minutes. It’s impossible to give a precise time, because it depends on the freshness of the artichokes.) Salt the artichokes while cooking them. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm until the pasta is ready.
- Add the pasta to the boiling salted water and cook until it is al dente. Drain well.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the cream to the skillet with the artichokes and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Pour the drained pasta into the skillet with the artichokes. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, the mint, and the Parmesan cheese, mixing rapidly. Transfer to a warmed serving dish, decorate with the extra mint leaves, and serve at once, with a pepper mill and more grated Parmesan on the side.