Every ingredient has a story, this one starts with tough leaves but ends with a tender heart! We’ll tell you the beauty of the artichoke with a dish from the Roman and Lazio tradition: carciofi alla romana (Roman-style artichokes). Nothing is left to chance in the preparation of this simple and fragrant side dish. We rely on the expert hands of Simone Bonelli, owner of Osteria Bonelli in Rome, together with his brother Patrizio. Many times, before serving the artichokes in the restaurant, they listened to and made their grandmother’s advice their own, such as how to cook them more quickly and with the right amount of moisture. Choose the largest, firmest and highest quality artichokes you prefer (Roman artichokes are best!), add plenty of parsley, mint, and garlic, and you will have a fabulous and tasty side dish to accompany meat or fish or to pair with classic Roman dishes such as baccalà fritto alla romana (fried cod in batter), saltimbocca, or lamb! Additionally, you can use the milder artichoke variety to make other delicious recipes:
Carciofi alla romana
INGREDIENTS
– 6 Roman artichokes
– 1 bunch of mint
– 1 bunch of parsley
– 3 cloves of garlic
– 170g white wine
– Salt to taste
– Hot water, as needed
– Plenty of extra virgin olive oil
– 1 lemon
Calories: Moderate
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
PREPARATION
1) To prepare carciofi alla romana, start by cleaning the artichokes. Remove the outermost leaves until you see the white base of the artichoke flower.
2) Peel the base with a small knife and peel the stem.
3) Cut off the tips of the leaves. You can also trim around the end of the leaves if you prefer a more flower-like shape.
4) Use the lemon to rub the outer part of the leaves and stem so that the artichokes do not turn brown due to oxidation.
5) Open up the artichoke with your hands so that it can accommodate the filling, then salt the inside and outside.
6) Spread a generous amount of mint and parsley on a cutting board.
7) Finely chop the herbs.
8) Peel and finely chop the garlic after removing the inner sprout.
9) Transfer everything to a bowl and mix well.
10) Insert the herb mixture into the artichoke and press gently.
11) Slightly compress the flower by wrapping it around the herb filling.
12) Heat plenty of extra virgin olive oil in a pan with a thick bottom, and add the artichokes upside down to brown them well. If you have the stems, put them between the artichokes. Turn the heat up and let them brown well.
13) When the top of the flower is golden brown, place the artichokes on one side and continue to brown by turning them on all sides with tongs.
14) Once the artichokes are well browned, deglaze them with white wine.
15) After a few moments when the alcohol evaporates, pour in enough hot water to cover the artichokes halfway up the side.
16) Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for about 30 minutes.
17) To make the artichokes cook faster and keep the moisture in the pot, use a wet and wrung-out parchment paper sheet on the pot.
18) Remove the parchment paper after about 20 minutes of cooking, then continue cooking with the lid for 10 more minutes, or remove the lid if you need to reduce the cooking liquid.
19) Once done, the carciofi alla romana can be served drizzled with the cooking liquid!
20) Carciofi alla romana can be stored for 1-2 days in a tightly sealed glass container and refrigerated.
21) It is not recommended to freeze them.
TIPS
– You can use Roman artichokes, violet artichokes, or other varieties. The important thing is to choose fairly large artichokes since there will be a lot of waste.
– Mint is used traditionally, as it is the type of mint commonly found in Lazio. You can use other varieties, but the taste may vary slightly.
– To remove the fuzzy interior of the artichoke (the choke), use a spoon or a knife if it is out of season, for example, in the winter. In the spring, it is absent, or so soft that it can be left on.