Sluttishly Savoury: Artichoke, Lemon & Thyme Pasta

I love artichokes, but can't be bothered dealing with a fresh one. Tinned artichoke hearts are a staple in my house - they're great as a quick side, in a salad, or in pasta. This artichoke, lemon and thyme pasta is the sort of easy, cheap dinner I eat when I want something delicious that I can make without too much brainpower or effort.

Thyme, used sparingly, is beautifully aromatic, and here it's complemented by the creaminess of the mascarpone. A little crispy bacon or pancetta would be a lovely addition, if you have some in the fridge already.

Artichoke, Lemon & Thyme Pasta (serves 2 hungry people)
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
You will need:

• 300g pasta - something robust is best (I used rigatoni)
• Salt for the pasta water
• A glug of white wine
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• A bunch of fresh thyme
• 400g can of artichoke hearts in water, each one cut in half
• 4-5 heaped tbsp mascarpone
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
• Some grated parmesan or grana padano 

To serve

• More fresh thyme
• Pine nuts

Make it!

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it's done as you like it. Drain and set aside, keeping about 4 tablespoons of the cooking water in the pan.
2. Make the sauce in the pan you cooked the pasta in. Put the cooking water you kept back on the heat, and add a good splash of wine. Bring to a simmer, add the lemon juice and zest, garlic, thyme (I used the leaves of about 6 or 7 sprigs - chuck away the stalks), and artichoke hearts. Simmer gently for a couple of minutes before stirring in the mascarpone, then add salt, pepper, and chilli flakes to taste.
3. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, grate in a little parmesan, and mix well. Serve immediately, garnished with more thyme and some pine nuts.