Pasta with Marinated Artichoke Sauce

"That looks good," my taller backup dancer commented, spying a sauce simmering on the stove.

"I'm not surprised you think so," I replied, "because the last time I made this I wrote on the recipe that you loved it." That was over a year ago, and it was high time for me to cook that recipe (below) again. I have started putting recipes on my calendar to repeat annually, so that I'm not always thinking blankly to a week ahead as I try to make a grocery list, wondering what I can cook with seasonal ingredients that my backup dancers won't disdain.

It is a very good dish. Try it as you're reducing your meat consumption to because you love Earth and want to keep it lovable. You could show your planet even more love by skipping the cheese. Animal-based foods account for 57% of global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, versus 29% for food from plants.

Marinated Artichoke Sauce with Onions and Tomatoes

Pasta Sauces, by Christine McFadden

10-12oz jar marinated artichoke hearts

3 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely

3 garlic cloves, chopped very finely

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried chili flakes [optional; I left them out]

14oz can chopped tomatoes

3 cups dried conchiglie (shells) or other pasta

scant 1/4c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving the marinade. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, oregano, chili flakes, and reserved marinade. Cook for 5 more minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper [my note: your marinade might have been quite salty; you might not need salt].

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and transfer to a warm serving dish. 

Add the artichokes, Parmesan, and parsley to the sauce. Cook for a few minutes until heated through. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Toss well to mix. Serve at once.