I wanted to make pasta on Mother’s Day, and I wanted that pasta to include artichokes somehow. This is what I came up with, and to my great surprise, it was a huge hit! You could also add some cooked, shredded chicken to the sauce if you want a heartier meal.
- 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
- 10 oz. fresh spinach
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 8 oz. sour cream
- 1 cup shredded parmesan
- 2 14 oz. cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 2 oz. capers, drained
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- 16 oz penne pasta with 1 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water to desired doneness. Reserve 1 cup of the water and drain pasta.
In a large pot, melt 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Once hot, add spinach and stir until slightly wilted. Transfer wilted spinach to a colander and drain.
Add 4 Tbsp. butter to the same pot along with 4 oz cream cheese, 8 oz. sour cream, and 1 cup parmesan and stir until everything melts and starts to bubble. Add minced garlic.
Stir in drained artichokes and capers and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, then add drained spinach, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook until hot then toss in the cooked, drained pasta. Stir in reserved pasta water to thin sauce if desired. Serve with additional shredded parmesan.