Spaghettoni with Artichokes

Method

1. Clean the Roman artichokes: remove the tough outer leaves, trim the tops, and cut in half. Rub with lemon juice to prevent browning.
2. Slice a few artichokes very thinly into chips for frying.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan to 160–180°C and fry the artichoke chips until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
4. In a separate large pan, heat a generous amount of olive oil and add crushed garlic cloves and a chopped chili pepper.
5. Add the remaining artichoke pieces (the ones not fried) to the pan and sauté over medium heat.
6. Season with coarse salt and black pepper. Add a splash of dry white wine, cover, and let cook until the artichokes are tender, about 5 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghettoni until al dente.
8. When the artichokes are tender, add a knob of butter and let it melt into the sauce.
9. Drain the pasta, reserving some pasta water, and add the pasta to the pan with the artichokes. Toss well, adding a little pasta water if needed to emulsify.
10. Grate fresh pecorino over the pasta, add fresh mint leaves, and squeeze a little lemon juice. Toss everything together.
11. Serve immediately, topped with the crispy fried artichoke chips and an extra grating of pecorino.