For the longest time, artichokes intimidated me. Not really sure why? Just a bit of the unknown I suspect. But I’ve come to learn that artichokes aren’t really all that difficult to prep and prepare. I especially love baby artichokes. Baby artichokes are not a different variety than the larger globe artichokes, just a smaller and less fully mature version. Once you prep them (as described below), you need do little more than toss them in olive oil, season with salt and pepper (perhaps, some red pepper flakes), and roast in the oven — 425F for 20-25 minutes until crispy around the edges. Yum.

I bought these beautiful baby artichokes on a recent day trip (from Philly) to the Union Square Farmers’ Market in NYC. Couldn’t pass them up. I ended up sautéing them with some pancetta, shallot, a splash of cream, Pecorino, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and parsley and then tossed the mixture with pasta. Voila, pasta with roasted baby artichokes, pancetta and lemon zest.

To be honest, I didn’t really measure anything. Which is actually quite freeing. I’m always trying to document the exact quantity, weight, and measurement (all in the name of the blog), which often takes the fun out of cooking. So, feel free to add a little more of this or that. Use your taste buds as your guide and have fun.

I’ve provided a modest step-by-step photo tutorial below on prepping baby artichokes. A few key things to keep in mind: first off, be careful, as the tops of artichokes have sharp, prickly thorns. Second, the outer leaves tend to be tough, keep peeling off the individual leaves until you reach the tender ones. Lastly, you’ll want to prepare a bowl of acidulated water (with lemon) to prevent the artichokes from turning brown.

To prep baby artichokes:

1. Pull back each dark outer leaf and snap it off at the base until you reach the tender, pale green inner leaves.

2. Using a serrated knife, cut off the spiky top third of a baby artichoke and discard the trimmings.

3. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer layers around the stem until you reach the pale layer underneath.

4. Leave the stem attached. Cut off the tough bottom 1⁄4″ of the stem.

5. With a vegetable peeler or paring knife, trim any remaining dark green or tough parts around the edge and underside of the artichoke and stem until it is smooth and uniformly pale in color.

6. The cleaned baby artichoke can be rubbed with the cut side of a lemon half and used immediately or stored, refrigerated, for up to two days in four cups of water mixed with the juice of two lemons, which will prevent browning.

Roasted Baby Artichokes

Baby artichokes, prepped as described above
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes

Preheat oven 425F.

Slice baby artichokes in half or quarters. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread artichokes on baking sheet, roast 20-25 minutes until crispy around the edges.

Pasta with Roasted Baby Artichokes, Pancetta and Lemon Zest

1/2 pound pasta of your choice (the shape I used is called Strozzapretti)
1 medium shallot, finely diced
handful of diced pancetta
~1 pound baby artichokes, prepped as described above
Cream
Pecorino, freshly grated
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
lemon zest
chopped parsley

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. When it comes to a boil, drop in the pasta and cook until just al dente. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, place diced pancetta in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the artichoke quarters. Cook, turning from time to time until browned and crispy. Add the shallot and sauté another couple minutes until soft. Add back the reserved pancetta. Add a large splash of cream, grated Pecorino, and a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Add the pasta and toss to coat with the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook another minute or two until warmed through.

Transfer to bowls. Grate a little more pecorino on top. Serve with lemon zest and chopped parsley.