We are so excited to share the recipe for Carciofi alla Romana, roman style artichokes! Our grandmother always used to make them and they so, so, so delicious! Picture this … beautiful globe artichokes stuffed with garlic and wild mint and slowly braised until soft, tender and aromatic. Oh my …
Carciofi alla Romana
Globe artichokes
Lemons
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Bunch of Roman mint (mentuccia)
Half a glass of extra virgin olive oil
Fill a large bowl with cold water, cut 2 lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the water, add the lemon halves to the water too. This will stop the artichokes from oxidizing and turning black.
Wearing gloves (to avoid staining your hands) rip off the hard outer leaves of the artichokes until you reach the soft, yellow, inner leaves. Cut off all but 4-5cm of the stalk and keep to one side. Continue trimming the artichoke by paring down the rough outer layer of the stem then cut off the tops of the leaves straight across. The artichoke should now look similar to a rose. Rub the artichoke all over with one of the lemon halves then put into the bowl of water and lemon juice while you continue prepping the other artichokes. Take the extra stalks that you cut off and also trim these and add to the water.
Once all of your artichokes have been trimmed, finely chop a couple of cloves of garlic (you can decide how much garlic you prefer depending on your taste) and a small bunch of mint leaves. Season the mixture then sprinkle a little more salt and pepper over your chopping board or work surface.
Now take the first artichoke and slam in firmly on the table to open up the leaves, pry them open with your fingers and stuff the garlic and herb mixture inside. Roll the exterior of the artichoke in the salt and pepper to season then place stalk end up in a large saucepan.
Once all of your artichokes and stalks are in the pan, pour in half a glass of extra virgin olive oil and two glasses of water (you could also add a splash of white wine). Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and cook on a low heat for about half an hour. You can check that the artichokes are ready by poking a fork or knife into the center at the base of the stem. When the artichoke is soft they are ready to eat.
Buon appetito!
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