Baked Stuffed Artichokes
Stuffed artichokes the way Italian grandmothers made them: tender hearts with a filling of breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley and Parmesan, baked golden.
The filling should have the texture of damp sand. Too dry it stays powdery and falls out; too wet it goes pasty and never crisps. Add the oil until it just clumps when you press it.
And the artichokes stand upright in the dish with a little stock in the base: that way they steam from below while the crust browns on top. Lying down they do neither properly.
The other three preparations: baked with garlic and parsley, Roman-style fried and pickled for the pantry.
Ingredients
- 4 large artichokes
- 1 lemon
- 100 g breadcrumbs
- 50 g grated Parmesan, plus extra to finish
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- 100 g cooked ham, chopped (optional)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
Method
- 1
Clean the artichokes: pull off the tough outer leaves, cut off the top third and level the base so they stand upright. Rub the cuts with lemon.
- 2
Boil them for 15 minutes in salted water with the lemon juice. Drain them upside down and let them cool a little.
- 3
Open the center by separating the leaves with your fingers and scrape out the choke with a teaspoon, making a hollow for the filling.
- 4
Mix the breadcrumbs, the Parmesan, the garlic, the parsley, the ham if using, 3 tablespoons of oil, salt and pepper until it has the texture of damp sand — dry it stays powdery, wet it goes pasty.
- 5
Fill the center of each artichoke and push some between the opened leaves as well, pressing lightly.
- 6
Stand them upright in a dish, pour the stock into the base, drizzle with the remaining oil and sprinkle over extra Parmesan. The stock steams them from below while the top browns.
- 7
Bake at 190 °C for 35-40 minutes, until the filling is golden and crisp. Serve warm, with the pan juices spooned over.
Flavors of the Mediterranean: From Our Table to Yours
If one kitchen invites you to sit down at a long table and stay there, it is the Mediterranean. This is our personal selection of dishes that celebrate freshness, sun and good produce: recipes that smell of basil, lemon and sea. Technique in the service of simplicity — and dishes that come out right every time.
