Pasta with Artichoke Pesto

Ingredients

• 28 ounce artichoke hearts drained and rinsed packed in water, quartered canned
• 6 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 0.3 cup basil fresh packed finely chopped
• 6 servings kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest packed finely grated (from 1 medium lemon)
• 0.3 cup olive oil 
• 1 ounce parmesan cheese finely grated plus more for serving
• 1 pound penne pasta such as rigatoni, ziti, penne rigate, conchigliette, or farfalle

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• pot
• blender

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.In a blender or a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, process the artichoke hearts, ricotta, and olive oil until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender or bowl as needed (the mixture will resemble hummus).
2. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the basil, measured Parmesan, and zest. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.Return the drained pasta to the pot and place over medium heat; add the artichoke pesto and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Stir until the cheeses begin to melt and the ingredients are thoroughly combined, adding more pasta water by the tablespoonful as needed until the desired consistency is reached. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
3. Serve immediately, passing additional Parmesan on the side.Beverage pairing: Hirsch Grüner Veltliner #1, Austria. They say artichokes are hard on wines, but Grüner always seems to do the trick. It packs its own lemon, mineral, and green herb flavors and a lot of sunny acidity to keep things lively.