Spaghetti Luisi with Artichokes and Roasted Mushrooms
Artichokes and roasted mushrooms nestled into a comfy bed of garlicky spaghetti compose this tasty dish I could eat every day.
Intrigued?
This dish is in my family’s regular rotation. It came to us by way of two brothers – the Luisi brothers – who worked with my parents at my grandfather’s film production company in Philadelphia. My dad, Michael, made it often while my brothers and I were growing up and it’s still a family favorite. This is my take on their original recipe, fondly referred to as “spaghetti Luisi” in our family.
How do I make it?
Roast up the mushrooms until golden brown. Meanwhile, make a simple pan sauce using a combination of butter, olive oil, garlic, and anchovies. Throw in some artichoke hearts and break them up. (Yes, I’m suggesting you break some hearts with this recipe.) Boil some pasta. (We like plain old spaghetti here, but any long pasta does the trick.) Add cooked pasta to pan sauce, toss until combined, and top with roasted mushrooms. A sprinkle of Parmesan can only help.
Twirl around fork, bring fork to face, repeat. Is “fork to face” the new “farm to table?” Probably not. But this pasta is delicious. The roasted mushrooms walk the line between chewy and crispy, adding welcome texture to an otherwise (delightfully) slurpy plate of food. You may have noticed I added a bit of spinach. The recipe doesn’t call for it, but it adds a nice pop of color and allows you to call this dish a salad.
Let’s talk about anchovies.
If you’re thinking, ”ew, let’s not,” I hear ya. I’m not the kind of girl who can eat anchovies straight out of the can. My parents order an appetizer of roasted red peppers and anchovies at one of our favorite Italian restaurants and it genuinely upsets me (sorry, you two). The anchovies might be cold? I don’t know. I can’t talk about this anymore.
But in this dish, they’re melted down into a savory sauce with just the right “what-IS-that?!” salty flavor. Just like in many restaurant-style Caesar dressings, you won’t even know they’re there. You’ll just know what you’re eating is delicious. And that’s what really matters, right?
If I haven’t convinced you, swap out the anchovies for capers or Worcestershire sauce. (But seriously, try the anchovies. They really do add an extra flair.)
If you use this recipe to inspire your cooking, send me a note, leave a comment, or tag me on Instagram @cookwithq. I love seeing what you’re creating and connecting with you through food.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also love this one pot orzo with smoked Gouda and thyme.
Spaghetti Luisi with Artichokes and Roasted Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or other long pasta
- 3.5 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 tin anchovies in oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 heaping tbsp garlic minced (about 3 cloves)
- 12 oz button mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 can quarted artichoke hearts the can I used was 8.5 oz
- 1 cup pasta water
- salt and pepper to taste
- grated parmesan optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- On a large sheet pan, toss sliced mushrooms with 1.5 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the mushrooms until golden brown (20 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway through).
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the water, then add the pasta and give it a stir. Cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking liquid, then drain pasta. Do not rinse.
- Over medium heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet. Once the oil heats, add 6-8 anchovies and use a wooden spoon to mash the fish into the oil. The anchovies should more or less dissolve into tiny flecks in the oil.
- Once the anchovies have dissolved, add the butter and the artichoke hearts. Use a wooden spoon to break apart the artichokes as they cook. After three minutes, add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir to coat the pasta with saucy goodness. If the pasta seems too dry, add a bit of reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
- Add about half of the roasted mushrooms to the pan and stir to combine.
- Plate your pasta. Top with the remaining roasted mushrooms and a (heavy) sprinkle of Parmesan.