Carciofi alla Romana – Roman-style Artichokes

Few vegetables are as revered in Roman cuisine as the artichoke. February marks the start of the artichoke season in Rome, and the lovely thistle vegetable makes its appearance in fruit and vegetable markets and on menus across the city.

The variety of artichoke found around Rome and throughout the region of Lazio is called the Romanesco, notable for its green and purple hues. It is more tender than the artichokes we find here in the States, but we make do with what we can find.

In Rome, artichokes are prepared in one of two ways: alla giudia, or Jewish style, and alla romana, Roman style. In carciofi alla giudia, the artichoke is deep-fried to a savory crispness. Too cumbersome to make at home, carciofi alla giudia are on the menu of every Roman trattoria, especially those found in the historical Jewish Ghetto neighborhood. It’s a must-try when you are in Rome.

An easier recipe to prepare at home is carciofi alla romana. In this recipe, the artichokes are cleaned, stuffed with a mixture of garlic, parsley, mint, and breadcrumbs, and then braised in olive oil and water until tender. Intended as a side dish, these Roman-style artichokes steal the show every time.

A local wine, like a Frascati from Principe Pallavicini, pairs well with this regional artichoke dish without overpowering its nuanced flavors.

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Carciofi alla Romana - Roman-style Artichokes

Few vegetables are as revered in Roman cuisine as the artichoke. In this recipe, the artichokes are cleaned, stuffed with a mixture of garlic, parsley, mint and breadcrumbs, and then braised in olive oil and water until tender. 

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Ingredients

• 4 globe artichokes
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp mint, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
• 50 grams bread crumbs
• 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt

Instructions

1. Clean the artichokes by removing the tough outer leaves until you reach the tender part. Look for the soft, yellow coloring at the base of each leaf.

2. Slice off the top 1/3 of the artichoke.

3. Open the artichoke and remove the choke - the fuzzy white part inside.

4. Chop off the longest part of the stem, leaving about 5cm (2 inches) of it. Use a paring knife to clean the remaining step by stripping away its outer layers. Using,

5. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a bowl of cold water and submerge the artichokes. The lemon keeps the artichokes from turning brown.

6. In the meantime, chop the garlic, mint, and parsley. Mix the garlic and herbs together with the breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt. Add just enough olive oil to form a paste.

7. Remove the artichokes from the water. Using a small spoon, stuff the breadcrumb mixture into the center of each artichoke.

8. Salt the outside of the artichokes. Place each artichoke head-down into a saucepan. Pour the olive oil over them, and let them cook for a few minutes over medium heat. Add water until the artichoke bulbs are half-submerged.

9. Cover and cook over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes. Check them for tenderness by piercing them with a fork.  Allow them to cook a little longer if necessary.

Notes

Serve your carciofi alla romana with a little of the cooking liquid spooned over them. 

Did you make this recipe?

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