tagliarini with artichokes and cream

tagliarini con carciofi

for 6

8 small young artichokes on their stalks

Rich Egg Pasta (see here), cut into tagliarini

½ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked from the stalks (keep the stalks)

3 garlic cloves, peeled

50 g butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons double cream

50 g Parmesan, freshly grated

To prepare the artichokes, break off the dark green outer leaves until you get to the tender pale leaves. Cut off the tough tops of the hearts and peel the fibres from the stalks. Halve the artichokes lengthways and remove the chokes, if any, with a teaspoon. Cut off the stalks from the heads. Very finely slice the heads and put in a bowl of water acidulated with the parsley stalks.

Chop the garlic together with the peeled artichoke stalks and a handful of the parsley leaves.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large thick-bottomed frying pan. Add the artichoke stalks, garlic and parsley, and gently push around the pan until softened, about 2 minutes. Add 100 ml boiling water, season, then after a few minutes add the drained sliced artichokes. Stir together, adding a little more hot water if too dry. Cover and simmer for 5–8 minutes or until the artichokes are cooked. Stir in the cream.

Cook the tagliarini in a generous amount of boiling salted water, about 2–3 minutes. Drain, keeping back a little of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well together over a gentle heat, adding the retained pasta water if too dry. Test for seasoning. Serve with grated Parmesan over each portion.