Prepare the artichokes: up to three days in advance

Place a medium pot of lightly salted water on the stove to boil. Halve the lemon. Squeeze both halves into the water and toss the spent halves into the pot.

Prepare the artichoke by breaking off the outer leaves until you reach light green leaves. Trim the tops of these using a sharp knife or scissors. Open the artichoke carefully, exposing the hairy choke. Using a melon baller or grapefruit spoon, scrape the hairy choke out, taking care not to take the artichoke heart with it. If your artichoke had a long stem, keep it–the stem is an extension of the heart and is delicious.

Toss the prepared artichoke into the pot and prepare the second artichoke the same way.

Cover the pot and cook the artichokes at a lively bubble for at least 45 minutes. Check them at 30 minutes, turning them over with a large fork if necessary. To test for doneness, carefully slide a chopstick, cooking fork, or knife into a piece. If you meet no resistance, the artichoke is done.

Remove artichokes to a strainer. Allow them to cool completely.

Meanwhile, get on with preparing the squash and zucchini.

I did not peel the vegetables, as they were organic. The decision is yours; if you don’t peel, be sure to wash thoroughly. Slice the squash into coins, smash and peel your garlic, and have your peas to hand.

As noted in the post, you can use the entire artichoke in this dish, or you can save the leaves for another meal. To use the leaves, scrape the “meat” off each with a small knife. This sounds hideous but goes quickly. Add it to the vegetables. I opted to use the leaves in another meal, so simply tugged them free of the heart–they come away easily–and refrigerated them.

The two artichoke hearts and their stems were sliced and added to the saute pan of vegetables, discussed below.

Place a saute pan on the stove. I used a Calphalon pan measuring 14 inches/35 cm. Pour in the olive oil and the butter, if using. Put the heat on medium and add the garlic. Allow to cook without browning for a minute or two.

Add the artichoke hearts, if using, the squashes, and frozen peas. Turn up the heat a bit. Add the wine, or whatever liquid you’re using, and stir. Salt and pepper lightly. Cover. Allow the vegetables to simmer gently, 20-30 minutes. This is a question of how well cooked you like your squash. Taste for salt and pepper. You might also like to add a squeeze of lemon, should you have any left.

Start your pasta now, following the package directions but not cooking the stuff so al dente it sticks to your dental work.

Before draining the pasta, carefully reserve a scant cup of cooking water. Drain the pasta, and either serve it immediately, or tip it back into the pot. I tip it back into the hot pot, add the vegetables, stir, then add the feta cheese and parsley. Purists warm their plates and so on, but many purists also have dishwashers and able-bodied spouses.

Returning to the cup of starchy water. Should the pasta become dry, or gummy, or need loosening, add a bit, or more than a bit of the water to the pasta. Viola!

Serve Simple Spring Pasta with bread and a salad. Or all by itself.

Refrigerate pasta in a covered container up to four days. Do not freeze.

Notes:

By medium-sized artichoke, think about 6 ounces, or 170 grams. This is not cast in stone. Obviously you can only buy what is available.

By medium-sized squash, I mean don’t purchase baseball bats. Or baby vegetables.

My peas were frozen.

Feel free to use other cheeses. You can never go wrong with Parmesan.

Leftover pasta cooking water may be used for bread baking.