This. This right here... Is my favorite meal to make. It's a bit difficult, but there are only a few ingredients and as simple as they are, they bring together a gigantically amazing taste!! I LOVE artichokes, I LOVE lemon, and I REALLY REALLY LOVE pasta!!

Recipe here:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/.....ta-recipe.html
- makes 4 first course servings -
Ingredients

2 medium lemons
4 fresh artichokes
1 medium leek
Extra-virgin olive oil
Several pinches of kosher salt to taste
Several peperoncini, or crushed red pepper flakes to taste
12 ounces fresh tagliatelle or fettucine
Pecorino Romano for grating
Procedure

1. Fill a large bowl with 1 quart cold water; squeeze the juice from one of the lemons into the bowl, and toss the two lemon halves in.

2. With a sharp knife, trim the artichokes down to the heart and tender leaves, and cut the center into eighths; add them to the bowl of water. Peel about 2 inches of the artichoke stems, slice them lengthwise, and add them to the bowl. Thinly slice the leek, rinsing it well to wash away any sand and dirt.

3. Bring 8 quarts water to a boil and salt it; cover the pot and keep it at a simmer until you're ready to boil the pasta. Grate the zest and squeeze the juice of the second lemon and set aside.

4. Heat about 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil in a large, deep sauté pan; add the drained, sliced artichoke hearts and stems, keeping them moving in the pan and adjusting the heat to prevent them from browning. After a few minutes, add the sliced leek, and season everything with a pinch of salt. Continue to sauté the vegetables over medium heat until the leeks are soft and almost translucent, then add the lemon zest and juice, a few crumbled peperoncini or crushed red pepper flakes to taste, and 2 or 3 tablespoons of the hot pasta water. Cover the sauté pan, and steam the artichokes tender.

5. Bring the pot of pasta water to a rolling boil. When the artichokes are tender and the leeks are translucent, add the fresh pasta to the boiling water, and cook until it is al dente, which should take 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the thickness. When the pasta is cooked, add it to the simmering pan of artichokes with a splash of the pasta water and a few more tablespoons of olive oil. Toss everything over the heat for 30 seconds to bind the sauce with the pasta before plating. Serve with a grating of Pecorino Romano.


Lil Vee's Comments:

For anyone wanting to make this dish, it takes a while, getting together with family and friends to make it is a fun experience and helps things move along faster. All the effort is definitely worth it, this dish tastes delicious, not too many ingredients to make it too difficult, and all the flavors come together very nicely! The cheese and artichoke I must say are what ultimately makes the taste come out. And the way the leek absorbs the taste and gives a soft but crunchy addition to the dish makes it just perfect! <3