Stuffed artichokes
A classic recipe from Rome, stuffed artichokes are incredibly tender and tasty.
Stuffed artichokes are a beloved dish in Roman and Italian cuisine. Especially in the regions of Lazio and Campania. Along the coast, north of Rome, in the area of Ladispoli and Cerveteri – where I live – high quality artichokes have been grown for centuries.
Every year in Ladispoli a big fair dedicated to those amazing buds is held. During the fair you’ll be able to taste regional dishes and local specialities, all made with artichokes. Some of these recipes are, for example, carciofi alla romana – stir fried artichokes, or battered deep fried artichokes. Other traditional dishes in Rome come from the Jewish tradition, like carciofi alla Giudia (jewish artichokes – deep fried whole artichokes), a must-try delicacy if you come to Rome.
This recipe is made using tender artichokes filled with a savory stuffing, made from breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, pecorino or Parmesan cheese. The artichokes are then braised until soft and infused with flavor.
Artichokes: some history
Artichokes have been a staple in Mediterranean cuisine for centuries, dating back to the time of the ancient Romans and Greeks. The variety most associated with Rome today is the carciofo romanesco, known for its round shape and tender leaves. Romans have been preparing artichokes in many ways for centuries, with Jewish and Roman Catholic communities each contributing their unique preparations.
How to clean artichokes
Cleaning artichokes may seem difficult, but in reality, it comes down to a simple rule. In fact, you just have to remove all the hard and stringy leaves and you’re good to go. Sometimes you can find a bunch of so-called “hair” inside. If artichokes are fresh and in season and the weather has been mild, the amount of hair will be minimum. A lot of har in the heart of the artichokes usually means they’ve been growing in a very hot climate.
Steps to clean artichokes
- Prepare a bowl with water and lemon juice to prevent the artichokes from browning
- Cut the stems and remove the stringy outer layer. The hardest part can be tear apart. Make a slit between the stringy part of the stem and the tender pale green core. Pull the outer layer to remove it. The remaining stringy parts can be removed with a peeler.
- Remove the outer leaves of the artichokes until you see the pale green color and the leaves are tender. Usually the first two or three layers.
- Cut the top part of the artichoke, around 1inch from the top, or up to the point where the purple bit fades to green.
- Put the artichokes and the stems in the lemony water.
- To make stuffed artichokes, remove the hardest bit and the innermost leaves. Use the tender part to make the filling.
Stuffed artichokes: how to make the filling
The traditional recipe uses simple ingredients like parsley, breadcrumbs, calamint and garlic. Other regional recipes calls for eggs, anchovies or meat. The recipe for Carciofi alla romana ripieni (roman stuffed artichokes), is the simplest. You can add also the finely cut stems to the filling.
- Breadcrumbs: you can use simple breadcrumbs or, like I often do, oatmeal. If you use oatmeal you could easily turn this dish into a gluten free version. If you do not have breadcrumbs you can blitz some fresh bread in a food processor. Any bread will do.
- Parsley: use fresh parsley if you have it on hand, and use also the stems if they’re not too hard. If you cannot find fresh parsley you can use frozen or dried too.
- Garlic: the amount of garlic is really up to your taste, if you like your artichokes to be very garlicky you can add more, however I would not add too much, it may cover the delicate taste of the rest of the ingredients.
- Pecorino: the best cheese to use for this recipe is pecorino romano. Pecorino is slightly salty and has a very distinctive flavor. If you use parmigiano it’s ok, but pecorino is what make this dish even tastier.
- Mint: lesser calamint is the herb of choice. To make the real deal you cannot absolutely skip this ingredient. Lesser calamint is used in every artichoke dish from the Roman tradition. The flavor of this type of herb enhances the taste of the artichokes like to other herb can do.
Best cooking method
The key to cook this dish to perfection is the cooking method. Artichokes should be cook very slowly for a long time. This way you’ll get the softest texture and all the flavors will mingle. If you can make this dish the day before it will turn out even better. The resting time will help in developing a more complex taste.
Stuffed artichokes
Ingredients
- 4 artichokes
- 30 gr parsley
- 20 gr lesser calamint if you cannot find it just skip it
- 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons of pecorino
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 150 ml of white wine
- chili flakes to taste optional
Instructions
- Prepare the stuffing
- In food processor mix the breadcrumbs, 1 small garlic clove finely minced (or crushed) the cheese, the mint, the parley salt and pepper.You can add some of the stems if you want.
Stuff the artichokes
- Clean the artichokes and remove the center.
- Sprinkle some salt and pepper inside the artichokes.
- Fill each artichoke with the filling.
Cook the artichokes
- In a heavy-bottomed pan pour the oil then add the stuffed artichokes, the stems and the other garlic clove.
- Add the wine and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the cili flakes if you want the artichokes to be a bit spicy.
- Turn on the heat to low and cook for about 40/50minutes or until you can pierce the outer layers of the artichokes easily with a fork.
- Leave them to rest at least 30 min. Re-heat the artichokes once you're ready to serve, or serve them lukewarm or even cold.
