Let's Call It...Pasta Alla Tikka

My dear friend Tikka was married this past August.  No, that's not her name, and no, she's not Indian.  Anyway, her new husband took the mic before their reception and gave a really lovely speech about how lucky he is to have a chick who looks hot in yoga clothes and could whip up a mean pasta dish with a can of sardines.  I became very distracted and dreamy about the sardine pasta.
When Papi does the grocery shopping, I never know what kind of surprise I'm in for.  Sometimes it's a bad surprise, like sad-looking tomatoes.  Other times, it's a good one, like a 40 oz. of Miller High Life.  Or two cans of sardines.
I indulged him in eating one can with a loaf of bread, and hid the other in anticipation of this quick and easy pasta dish.  Seriously tasty, and seriously cheap - about $1per serving.  Not bad from a nutrition perspective either - fiber, protein, omega-3's and lycopene are all invited to the table.

Pasta Alla Tikka
Ingredients:
1 Box Angel Hair pasta (I prefer Barilla, if it's on sale)
Splash of extra virgin olive oil
3-5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 15.5 oz. can Canellini Beans, rinsed
Handful of sun-dried tomatoes, sliced into 1/3 in. pieces
Small jar of marinated artichoke hearts
1 3.75 oz. can of Sardines (packed in oil)
1 heaping tbsp. capers
Sea Salt (once over the pan, plus more for pasta water)
Black Pepper, to taste
Dried Parsley, to taste
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
Shredded or grated parmesan

Bring pasta water to boil.  8 cups should do the job.
Meanwhile, sautee garlic and olive oil over medium heat.  Watch so that the garlic doesn't burn.  Add sardines.  Mash the sardines with a wooden spoon.  It will be pretty crumbly and giving to just a bit of pressure.  Next, add artichokes with their marinating liquid.  Stir gently; reduce heat.  Add beans and seasonings, to taste.  Finally, gently stir in slices of sundried tomato and capers.  If sauce seems a little too thick, add some of the pasta water.
Cook pasta for no more than 4 minutes.  Angel hair cooks really, really quickly - blink and you'll have a mushy mess.
Drain pasta and return to the same pot.  Toss with sauce.  Sprinkle with parmesan and serve immediately.
Serves 8.