Penne with Artichokes & Feta

This is a gourmet pasta dish that taste like it came from a fancy restaurant. It's loaded with lots of flavor and easy to make. If your chicken broth isn't low sodium, you might want to omit the olives, otherwise the dish will taste salty with the feta cheese, olives and chicken broth. I used fresh penne noodles that can be bought at the supermarket. It helps cut down on cooking time. I had never eaten artichokes before and was pleasantly surprised. The entire family loved this dish. I found the recipe in the Fine Cooking magazine.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 10  ounces  dried penne (about 3 cups)
•  coarse salt
• 8  slices bacon
• 1  small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 (9 ounce) package  frozen quartered artichoke hearts, thawed,drained,and cut in half (I use a tin of artichoke 10 oz and drained it.)
• 1  cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1⁄2 cup  pitted kalamata olive, chopped
• 1  roasted red pepper, chopped
• 4  ounces  crumbled feta cheese (3/4 cup)
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 3  tablespoons  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a full boil and add the pasta and 1 tbs.
2. coarse salt.
3. Cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Drain and reserve While pasta is cooking, cook bacon until browned and crisp about 5 min.
5. and drain bacon on paper towel to help reduce the grease.
6. When cool, crumble into small pieces Add the sliced onion to the bacon drippings in the pan and cook over med heat stirring often until wilted, about 3 min.
7. Add the artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned on the edges, about another 4 min.
8. Pour in the broth.
9. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, scraping up all the browned bits in the pan.
10. Boil for 30 seconds to reduce the liquid slightly.
11. Reduce the heat to med.
12. and add the drained pasta, olives, and red pepper.
13. Toss until well blended and warmed.
14. Remove the pan from the heat.
15. Add the feta and salt and pepper to taste and stir a couple of times.
16. Cover and set aside, stirring occasionally, until the cheese melts a bit but not completely and the pasta is coated in creamy, clingy sauce, about 2 min.
17. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
18. Serve immediately with crumble bacon and chopped parsley.