Mezzepenne with artichokes and smoked salmon

Here’s the recipe for making delicious Mezzepenne with artichokes and smoked salmon, a dish that combines the delicate taste of artichokes with the intense flavor of smoked salmon.

Ingredients

• 350 g of Mezzepenne
• 200 g of smoked salmon
• 4 artichokes
• 1 clove of garlic
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Chopped parsley to taste
• 100 ml of cooking cream
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparazione

1. Start by cleaning the artichokes: remove the outer harder leaves, cut off the thorny tip, and if present, remove the fuzzy heart. Cut the artichokes into thin wedges and place them in a bowl with water and lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.

2. Boil a pot of salted water for the pasta. In the meantime, in a frying pan, heat some oil with a clove of garlic. Once the garlic is golden, remove it and add the drained artichokes. Cook them over medium heat for a few minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.

3. Cook the Mezzepenne in the boiling water following the package instructions to achieve al dente texture.

4. While the pasta is cooking, add the cream to the pan with the artichokes and let it gently combine. Then cut the smoked salmon into strips and add it to the pan, letting it flavor for a couple of minutes.

5. When the pasta is ready, drain it and transfer it to the pan with the artichoke and salmon sauce. Mix well to ensure that the Mezzepenne is uniformly seasoned.

6. Finish with some chopped parsley and if you wish, a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.

7. Serve the Mezzepenne with artichokes and smoked salmon hot.

Curiosity

Smoked salmon has its origins in the Nordic countries, where the smoking technique was used to preserve fish. Today it is appreciated all over the world for its distinctive flavor and pairs very well with pasta, especially with the addition of fresh, spring ingredients like artichokes.