Carciofi alla romana

Ingredients

Artichokes

• 8romanesco artichokes, with stems
• 2lemons

Stuffing

• 1large bunch mint, ideally mentuccia
• 4 clovesgarlic
• salt and black pepper

Braise

• 150 mlextra virgin olive oil
• 200 mlwater
• 100 mldry white wine

Directions

1. Make a bowl of lemon water and trim the artichokes as you would for the fried version, keeping about 8 cm of peeled stem on each and dropping them into the lemon water as you go.
2. Scoop out any choke with a teaspoon, though a true cimarolo has almost none to speak of.
3. Chop the mint and garlic finely together with a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper.
4. Open the leaves of each artichoke and push the mint and garlic down into the centre, packing it in firmly so it stays put.
5. Stand the artichokes upside down in a heavy pan just wide enough to hold them all touching, with the stems pointing straight up.
6. Standing them this way is not for looks. It lets the leaves steam in their own moisture while the hearts sit down in the liquid, which is where they need the heat.
7. Pour over the olive oil, the water and the wine. The liquid should come about a third of the way up the artichokes.
8. Cover tightly, laying foil under the lid if it does not seal well, and cook over a low heat for 30 to 40 minutes.
9. They are done when a knife passes through the thickest part of a stem without resistance.
10. Let them cool in the pan liquid, which is where a great deal of the flavour ends up and where they go on absorbing it.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature, never straight from the heat, with the cooking oil spooned over them.

Technique

• Upside down, tightly covered, cooled in the liquid. Those three things are the recipe.
• The Lazio cimarolo holds PGI status, and its arrival marks the Roman spring as reliably as anything on the calendar.
• Mentuccia is a wild mint, smaller and more pungent than garden mint. Use rather less if you substitute.

Substitutions

• Garden mint in place of mentuccia, at about two thirds the quantity.
• Flat-leaf parsley mixed with the mint, which some Roman cooks prefer.

Variations

• With a chopped anchovy worked into the stuffing.
• With the leftover cooking oil and liquid tossed through spaghetti the next day.
• Carciofi alla giudia, the fried version of the same artichoke.

History

Romanesco artichokes braised upright with mint and garlic; the Lazio cimarolo holds PGI status and marks the Roman spring.

Frequently asked questions

What is Carciofi alla romana?

Carciofi alla romana is a salad & side from Vatican City: artichokes braised with mint, garlic, olive oil. Romanesco artichokes braised upright with mint and garlic; the Lazio cimarolo holds PGI status and marks the Roman spring.

How long does Carciofi alla romana take to make?

Carciofi alla romana takes 30 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 artichokes. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Carciofi alla romana?

Yes, within limits. Garden mint in place of mentuccia, at about two thirds the quantity. Flat-leaf parsley mixed with the mint, which some Roman cooks prefer.

What is the most important thing to get right in Carciofi alla romana?

Serve warm or at room temperature, never straight from the heat, with the cooking oil spooned over them.