“This is one of my five Sleeper Hits of the cookbook for a reason.”

You might recognize Dan Pashman from some pretty unique pursuits. Not only is he the James Beard award-winning host of The Sporkful podcast, but he’s also the literal inventor of the viral Cascatelli pasta shape (it has ruffles and ridges specifically engineered to hold onto sauce, in case you didn’t know). Most recently, he’s a cookbook author, using his expertise to craft Anything’s Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People. The book is full of flavorful recipes, but we’re specifically fond of his roasted artichoke and preserved lemon cavatelli pasta.

“The journey to arrive at this recipe was months-long,” Pashman writes. “All I will tell you here is that this is one of my five Sleeper Hits of the cookbook…for a reason.”

Need a more expert recommendation? Pashman writes that “[his] daughter, Emily, who only believes there’s cheese in pasta if she can see it, said, ‘This pasta doesn’t have any cheese on it, so I was like, Oh my God, I need cheese on it. Because you know, cheese is the best. But I still had to taste it and it actually tastes really, really good.'” Which is pretty thorough kid-approval.

“‘The pasta shape cavatelli…goes really well with the flavor,'” his other daughter, Becky, adds. “‘The lemon preserves or whatever you call it sticks to the pasta shape. So I like it because then you get some of it in every bite. I like the flavor, I think it’s more interesting than plain pasta.'” Need we say more?

Pashman is sure to add that the dish itself can be made ahead of time: “While this dish will lose its sauciness if it sits, the flavor remains outstanding, so it does function well as a pasta salad made in advance,” he writes. “Especially if you’re using fresh cavatelli, which is very durable.”

“If it’s been sitting for an hour or two, just add a drizzle of olive oil and toss before serving.”

Cavatelli With Roasted Artichokes and Preserved Lemon

Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 40 minutes
Developed with Katie Leaird

Ingredients

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Three 14-ounce cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained and patted dry (see note)

7 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil

1 pound cavatelli (see note; or use casarecce, strozzapreti, gemelli, or gnocchi)

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

¼ cup finely chopped preserved lemon (about ¾ medium lemon; see tip)

2 tablespoons drained capers, roughly chopped

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ cup (2 ounces) finely grated Pecorino Romano

Directions

Place an oven rack in the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 450°F. Bring 4 quarts of water and the salt to a boil in a large pot. On a rimmed sheet pan, use your hands to gently toss the artichokes with 3 tablespoons of the oil until evenly coated, then spread into a single layer, cut side down. Transfer to the oven and roast until deeply browned on the bottom, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes less than the low end of the package instructions.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) of oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just starting to brown, about 1 minute; remove the pan from the heat.
Use a mesh spider to transfer the pasta directly to the skillet and return to medium heat. Add 1½ cups of the pasta cooking water, the preserved lemon, capers, pepper, and three-quarters of the roasted artichokes (choose the lighter-colored artichokes to stir in, reserving the more browned ones for topping). Cook, tossing and stirring to combine, until the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta but still pools slightly in the pan, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley and Pecorino. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish or individual bowls, top with the remaining artichokes, and serve.

Artichokes note: Thoroughly drying the artichokes is key to getting some good color on them — use a double layer of paper towels to gently but firmly pat them dry, then discard the towels and repeat. Or roll them up in a clean kitchen towel and press them dry.

Pasta note: We developed this recipe with big, rustic, fresh cavatelli, found in the refrigerator or freezer section of some supermarkets and many Italian specialty stores. (Rustichella d’Abruzzo also makes a great dried one, although if you get the 8.8-ounce package, you’ll need two.) If you can’t find cavatelli that are at least 1 inch long, don’t bother with the little dried ones — just substitute one of the options suggested.

Preserved lemon tip: Preserved lemons are a punchy powerhouse— their salted citrus brings not only layered lemon flavor and tang but also a special salinity that kosher salt alone cannot compete with. Plus once you have a jar, you can use them in a range of recipes in this book, including Mezze Maniche with Harissa Lamb and Mint- Parsley Gremolata (page 173) and Crispy Gnocchi Salad with Preserved Lemon– Tomato Dressing (page 217). Look for whole packaged preserved lemons in the cheese section, or jarred ones in the international or “Global Flavors” aisle of larger grocery stores or specialty shops. I used Les Moulins Mahjoub brand from Whole Foods. You can also make your own; it’s very easy and there are instructions online. When adding to a recipe, use every part but the seeds!