Roman-Style Fried Artichokes
The classic from Roman trattorias: artichoke hearts, tender inside and golden and crisp outside. Boiled first in lemon water so they do not turn grey, then coated and fried.
Dry them thoroughly before coating. The drier the artichoke, the crisper the crust — any water left on the surface steams under the coating and lifts it off.
Out of season, jarred cooked artichoke hearts work: drain and pat them very dry, then skip the first two steps.
The other three preparations: baked with garlic and parsley, baked and stuffed and pickled for the pantry.
Ingredients
- 6 large fresh artichokes, heavy for their size with tightly closed leaves
- 1 lemon (juice and halves)
- 2 eggs
- 150 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sunflower oil for frying, as needed
- Chopped parsley and lemon wedges, to serve
Method
- 1
Clean the artichokes: pull off the tough outer leaves until you reach the pale ones, cut off the top third and peel the base and the stem. Rub every cut with half a lemon so they do not discolor.
- 2
Boil them for 15 minutes in plenty of salted water with the juice of half a lemon, until a knife goes into the base without resistance. Drain them upside down.
- 3
When they are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters and scrape out the choke with a teaspoon. Dry them very thoroughly with paper — the drier they are, the crisper the coating.
- 4
Season the quarters, turn them in flour shaking off the excess, and then through beaten egg.
- 5
Fry in hot oil at 170-180 °C in small batches, 2-3 minutes per side, until evenly golden. If the oil starts smoking, lower the heat: burnt oil tastes bitter.
- 6
Drain on kitchen paper, adjust the salt while hot and serve at once with chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
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.
