Artichokes, a Roman delicacy, come in two basic varieties: braised (alla romana) or deep fried (alla giudia). The latter is a little difficult to pull off at home, but the first is simple and tremendously delicious.
It's important to note that the quality of the artichokes is absolutely key here. A poor artichoke will yield a very small heart and can result in a tough, fibrous dish. We recommend sticking to in-season produce for this one!
Watch the Pasta Grammar video where we make this recipe here:
Makes 4 artichokes.
For this recipe, you will need:
- 4 large artichokes, preferably with the stems
- 1 large lemon
- 1/3 cup (about 10g) chopped parsley
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
- Salt
- Fresh black pepper
- 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, adjusted to the size of your pot
- 1 cup water, adjusted to the size of your pot
Fill a large mixing bowl with water and squeeze in the juice of your lemon.
Clean and trim the artichokes. To do this, peel the tough, outer skin of the stem off. Then, remove the outer leaves of the artichokes until you're left with the tender heart. Slice the very top of the artichokes off so that they have a flat top, then trim the top edge at an angle (we recommend checking out the video to see how this step should look). Finally, use a spoon to scoop out the hairy center from the artichoke heart.
Place each trimmed artichoke in the lemon water to preserve its color as you proceed to the next steps.
Combine the chopped parsley and diced garlic with a generous sprinkle each of salt and black pepper. Combine well. Stuff a pinch of this mixture into the center of each artichoke, as well as between the individual leaves.
Pour the olive oil into a heavy pot or crockpot, just large enough to accommodate the artichokes vertically with their tops on the bottom surface. We recommend about 1/4 cup of oil but adjust accordingly: you'll want no more than 1/4-inch of oil in the pot.
Bring the oil up to medium heat, then place the artichokes in vertically, so that they are standing on their flat tops. If they have long stems, trim these so that you will be able to cover the pot.
Add enough water to fill the pot about 1 inch and adjust the heat to bring to a simmer. Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt into the water.
Cover and steam the artichokes for about 1 hour, or until they are very tender. The best way to test this is to check the stem. A butter knife should be able to cut through it with very little pressure.
As the artichokes cook, keep an eye on the moisture level. If most of the water evaporates before they are fully steamed, add a little bit of water to maintain at least 1/2-inch of liquid in the bottom.
Serve immediately and top with a drizzle of the juices from the pot. Buon appetito!
A bit of work, but well worth it. Thank you! Another winner!
My Grandmother made the artichokes like this but, she cut off the stems so the artichokes could sit upright in the pot. She put the stems in the pot and also added slices of pecarino romanao cheese and garlic with the parsley, stuffing between the artichoke leaves. A little extra salt sprinkled on top with a drizzle of olive oil. Delicious with Italian bread to soak up the juice and a glass of milk never tasted sweeter.