Pasta in Creamy Artichoke and Parmesan Sauce

For the pasta:
4 quarts water
Salt to taste
1 pound of linguine (I used Barilla whole wheat)

For the sauce:
3 garlic cloves
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (the real stuff...not that powered crap)
Dried red pepper flakes (if you like it spicy....which of course the Big A most certainly DOES!)
Salt and Pepper

1. Cook the pasta: Pour the water into a large pot, salt light, and cover. Bring to a boil over a high heat. Add the pasta, stir to separate, and cook until al dente. Remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.

2. Make the sauce: Finely chop the garlic (I used a press.) Drain, rinse, and quarter the artichokes. Chop enough parsley to measure 1/4 cup.

3. In the pasta cooking pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Stir in the garlic and then the artichoke hearts and parsley. Cook, stirring until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pasta, Parmesan, dried red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss, adding enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to make a creamy, not sticky, sauce. Cover and keep warm.

****As taken from Minute Meals: Vegetarian, edited by Evie Righter, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2002.****