Once you make and serve this wonderful, delicious vegetarian pasta, it will become a regular dish at your dinner table. It can be served as the main dish or even as a side dish along side your favorite meat.
8 oz. angel hair, capellini, or spaghetti pasta
8 oz. (about 2 c.) quartered artichoke hearts, frozen, canned or steamed till tender
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
6 T. butter
1/4 c. shallots, minced
3 T. capers, rinsed
2 t. lemon zest
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes, optional
heaping 1/4 t. salt, or more to taste
5 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
3 T. freshly chopped parsley, divided
Parmesan cheese, if desired for serving
Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse under cool water; drain. Set aside.
In a large saute pan, heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add artichokes; cover; cook until thawed, if frozen and slightly browned. Remove artichokes from saute pan; set aside.
Using the same pan, heat 6 T. butter over medium-high heat. When butter has melted, add shallots, capers, lemon zest, crushed red pepper flakes, if using and salt. Cook until shallots are translucent. Carefully add lemon juice; cook until a sauce develops, which happens quickly.
Add cooked pasta, 2 T. parsley and artichokes to the pan; toss to coat. If pasta is too dry, add 1 T. water at a time, till desired consistency is reached. It shouldn't be thick or heavy, the noodles should be lightly coated with lemon butter. Add additional butter, salt and lemon to taste, if desired.
Serve hot, sprinkled with a little Parmesan cheese, if desired.
4 servings.