There are never enough pasta recipes, right? Here's a quick one that combines creamy ricotta, spinach, and artichoke hearts, topped a crunchy mix of breadcrumbs and almonds.

Photography Credit: Sally Vargas

A quick pasta dinner makes weeknights go smoothly, whether you are rushing home from work or trying to feed the hungry hordes in a hurry.

This one combines frozen artichokes and spinach in a creamy ricotta sauce. It’s on the table in less under 30 minutes.

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EASY PREP WITH FROZEN ARTICHOKES

Frozen artichoke hearts are your friends here. They retain a lot of the fresh green flavor of fresh artichokes and are closer to the real deal than artichokes you can purchase in a jar or a can.

Once frozen artichokes are defrosted, the texture tends to be a little softer than freshly peeled ones, so they will cook more quickly, too. The biggest advantage? You don’t need to do all that the tedious peeling and cooking.

Look for frozen artichokes that are loose in the bag, rather than in a block, which makes them easier to work with. If you have time, let them sit out for 10 minutes or so to partially defrost. If you don’t have time, then they will take just a few minutes longer to heat all the way through in the skillet.

COOK THE PASTA TO AL DENTE

For the pasta, choose a medium pasta shape such as penne or fusilli. I particularly love the look of lumache (little snails), but I can’t always find them.

Cook the pasta until al dente—usually just a minute less than what the directions on the package instruct.

With this recipe, as with most Italian pasta dishes, the cooked pasta goes into the skillet along with the sauce and other ingredients so it has a chance to cook for an extra 30 seconds or so and absorb flavors. Al dente pasta will finish perfectly in the pan without becoming overcooked or mushy.

FINISH WITH SOME CRUNCH!

The breadcrumb and almond topping adds some panache and a bit of surprise to this vegetarian pasta. Buy almonds that are already roasted and unsalted if you can; this way you don’t have to toast them in the oven. (If you can’t find roasted and unsalted almonds, then toast them on a baking sheet at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant.)

Eat well! be happy!

BONUS TIP

To coarsely “chop” almonds without pulling out your food processor, place them in a plastic zipper bag, seal the bag, and bash it with a rolling pin so the nuts are in small, uneven pieces.

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