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Lemon Butter Fettuccini with Artichokes is a great meatless meal that the whole family will enjoy. Although my young children rejected many vegetables, for some reason they both always liked artichokes. So, I’m always looking for recipes that incorporate them, when they’re in season.
The Equipment You’ll Need
A steamer basket- You’ll need a large pot with a steamer insert to make the artichokes. If you don’t have one simply steam the artichokes standing up in about an inch of water.
A large skillet- You will need a large skillet to have enough surface area to to form your lemon butter sauce and toss your pasta.
The Ingredients Needed for Lemon Butter Fettuccine with Artichokes
The Artichokes- They are the star of the show here. Try and buy fresh artichokes, with tightly closed leaves and no brown spots. If you can find really fresh ones, they’ll keep in your refrigerator for about a week. This recipe doesn’t use the artichoke leaves, but they make a nice lunch the next day.
The Fettuccine-For this dish I highly recommend DeCecco egg fettuccine. It is very tender, and tastes almost homemade.
The Garlic- Try and find the best garlic you can. Try and avoid garlic with those little green sprouts inside.
How I Made This Dish
First, I trimmed the artichoke leaves and then steamed the artichokes.
Next, I boiled the fettuccine water. While the fettuccine cooked, I made the sauce. It’s important to have the pasta done and drained, just before you stir it into the sauce.
Finally, I served this with a big salad, and dinner was done!
This is a very simple and quick dish to prepare, and a great favorite of my daughters’. It also tastes great the next day, when it’s reheated. To make the dish heartier, you could always add some shrimp or cubed up chicken breast. Or, you could substitute the artichokes with another steamed vegetable, like broccoli or asparagus. I like to serve this meal with a summery salad.
When I was a kid, the only way we ever had artichokes was stuffed with breadcrumbs. But now, there are so many dishes you can make with artichokes. They’re quite a versatile vegetable. So, I hope you will try this delicious, and a little decadent, meatless main course.
Lemon Butter Fettuccine with Artichokes
Lemon Butter Fettuccine with Artichokes
Steamed artichoke hearts tossed with butter, lemon, garlic, Parmesan and fettuccine.
Cut the artichokes in half, and using a knife and a grapefruit spoon, scoop out the chokes.
Boil a couple of inches of water in a pot with a steamer insert, and then steam the artichokes, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the hearts are fork tender.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine according to the directions on the box. Drain well.
Meanwhile, slice the artichokes into bite sized pieces. Heat a large skillet with the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Cook the artichokes and garlic for a few minutes, and then add the lemon juice.
Cut the rest of the butter into thin slices. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter until it is melted and a nice sauce forms. Add the pasta, parsley, and cheese, tossing everything together, until the pasta is completely coated in sauce.
