The literal translation of ditalini is “small fingers,” and I’m partial to this small, short shape because I like the ingredients in a pasta dish to be all roughly the same size—including the pasta. You can substitute any other small short-cut pasta you have on the shelf.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 small onion, finely chopped

　　1 pound mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned, and finely chopped

　　1 teaspoon plus 3/4 teaspoon salt

　　1 cup dry Marsala wine

　　1/2 pound frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

　　1/2 cup heavy cream

　　1 pound ditalini or other small, thimble-shaped pasta, such as penneti

　　3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes. Add the Marsala and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and cream and cook until the artichokes are heated through, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, then add it to the skillet with the mushroom-and-artichoke sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

　　Everyday Pasta