Roman-style artichokes: an irresistible dish of the Lazio tradition

Roman-style artichokes, tender and succulent, are a substantial side dish, and can also be transformed into the highlight of the evening.

Roman-style artichokes are one of the typical side dishes of Lazio cuisine, often also used as a second course , perhaps in a generous portion like the one we offer. This recipe includes the use of mint , but absolutely mint, which in Rome is used for the preparation of Roman-style tripe. A note on the amount of pepper to use: the traditional recipe requires a lot, but feel free to use it to your taste!

Well, what about … we can’t wait to get started! Follow us in the kitchen for the original recipe of Roman-style artichokes!

How to cook Roman-style artichokes

1. Wash and dry parsley and mint thoroughly. Chop them and put them in a bowl to flavor with the minced garlic, salt, pepper and two tablespoons of oil. Mix well and set aside.

2. Fill a bowl with water and add the juice of one lemon . Clean the artichokes. Eliminate the most external and hard leaves, then cut the tips by eliminating all the highest part of the head of the Roman artichokes. Cut the stem leaving three centimeters and removing the rest. Peel it and also remove the external part that covers the base of the artichoke. Rinse under running water and place each freshly cleaned artichoke in the bowl with the water acidulated by the lemon.
3. Take the artichokes out of the water, drain them well and dry them with kitchen paper . Slightly open the leaves and stuff them with the parsley mixture that we left to marinate.
4. In a pot capable of holding the artichokes side by side with the stem side up, pour a glass of extra virgin olive oil. Heat the oil, then carefully place the artichokes next to each other. Cook for two minutes over medium -low heat , since they will only have to fry slightly .
5. Now, always very carefully, pour some water. At the end the artichokes must be covered by the liquid for about half of their body, excluding the stem. If it is needed during cooking, add more water, possibly hot .
6. Cover with a lid and let it go for 30 minutes . Uncover and cook for another ten minutes . The artichokes will be ready when a toothpick manages to pierce their meat without difficulty . Serve on plates and season with the sauce: enjoy your meal!

Try all our recipes with artichokes : you will love them!

Preparation tips

There are not many tips for preparing Roman-style artichokes with the classic recipe and obtaining a satisfactory result. You must, first of all, use the Roman artichokes also called violets . This type of artichoke is characterized by a rounder shape and a color that goes from green to purple : moreover, it does not even have the thorns as for the other types of this vegetable. Go to your trusted greengrocer and let yourself be advised to buy the right vegetables which, moreover, you can ask to be already cleaned so as not to make mistakes.

Cleaning is also important: the shape they must take when finished must be precise so that during cooking the leaves tend to flatten and the well-balanced weight will ensure that your Roman violets do not overturn ruinously on one side. If they were to tip over, in truth, there would be nothing wrong, but the aesthetics would suffer as well as the cooking times . If you need a little more security, you can take a pot with high sides and fit them next to each other on the bottom so that they support each other.

This recipe, in truth, is a cross between stuffed Roman-style artichokes and boiled artichokes. The filling is given by breadcrumbs and herbs , while for the cooking method there is little to say: the heart is immersed in water from the beginning to the end of the preparation.

One last quick tip for preparation: never forget to have half a lemon handy to rub on your hands before working the raw vegetables. This will prevent your fingers from becoming unpleasantly black.

Difference between artichokes alla romana and alla giudia

There are really those who confuse them, and this is the time to clarify once and for all the difference between these two simple and delicious Roman artichoke recipes. Nothing could be simpler: the artichokes alla giudia are fried Roman artichokes and simply seasoned with salt and pepper. The cooking position is the same, which is why they can be visually confused, also thanks to the fact that artichokes alla giudia do not require breading: they are immersed directly in oil for about 10 minutes and then seasoned and served on the table.

storage

You can keep this easy side dish recipe for up to 2 days in the refrigerator, in a container with an airtight lid. We do not recommend freezing in the freezer.