orecchiette with artichokes and goat’s cheese

i’ve been experimenting with black garlic recently, having been sent some to try. it’s white garlic that has been aged so that it changes colour and develops a much milder, sweeter, almost pickled/smoked flavour. i like it.

i think it’s something to add as a raw ingredient when it’s flavour will be able to stand out – salad dressing is a good option but i’ve also been enjoying it in some simple pasta dishes, including this very simple artichoke and goat’s cheese one.

i do love the roasted marinated artichokes you can get at the deli – chopped into bite size pieces and mixed with chopped goats’ cheese (optional, if you want a lighter vegan dish), olive oil, lemon zest, crushed garlic (i used black but roasted would also be really lovely), fresh basil leaves and a bit of lemon juice makes a very easy and delicious sauce for orecchiette. perfect if you don’t feel like doing any “proper” cooking.