My region of Italy is Lazio and it is famous for its Artichokes, in Rome you can enjoy them Roman Style or Jewish Style. Both styles trim the artichoke all the way down to only the edible parts. The Roman Style is then simmered in water and olive oil along with spices until soft. It is then eaten in its entirety, no peeling back leaf by leaf until you reach the heart. Nope, you just dig right in. The Chef did all of the work for you.
The Jewish style is trimmed, cooked and then fried in oil until it resembles a deep fried sunflower. This style of artichoke comes from the Jewish Quarter in Rome with its long history of oppression that dates back to the 1550’s.
The other day when I was walking home from the market, I walked past a local restaurant that always serves seasonal and local foods. As I walked past the outdoor tables I saw people happily eating plates of Porcini Fettuccini and a side of Jewish Style Artichokes. I almost fell off the curb as the sidewalk ended but I was too busy with my neck craned, staring at the gorgeous plate of crispy golden artichokes looking like edible sunflowers. I stumbled and then stopped in my tracks before being hit by oncoming cars. I needed to come back to the reality I was currently living in and wipe the drool from chin. I resolved then and there to make some Carciofi alla Giudia (Jewish Style Artichokes) when I got home. So I chose a lovely bouquet of Artichokes, placed them in my bag and walked home with a smile on my face dreaming of my own crispy fried plate of Carciofi alla Giudia.
Jewish Style Artichokes ( Carciofi alla Giudia)
Ingredients:
10 artichokes
salt
oil for frying
Instructions:
Trimming the artichokes is the most important part and the most arduous part. But believe it or not it does get easier. Basically you need to trim off everything that is green. Pasquale showed me to grab each outter leaf and snap it off at the middle of the leaf and pull downward so that all the fibers come off the outside of the leaf. Then when you get to the center you can just cut it off. Then trim, trim, trim until the entire thing is basically white or pale pale green. Click here if you would like to see me Cleaning an artichoke!
You should have a large bowl of water and lemon ready to plunge the artichokes in as you trim them. I also have a wedge of lemon ready to rub the artichoke down with it every-time I cut it. This will keep it from turning an ugly brown color.
Smash the heads of the artichokes together like two crazy men fighting. This will break open the leaves. Then use a fork to pull them apart a little.
Then boil the artichokes until the are cooked through but do not over cook. When I knife slides in without too much resistance it is done.
Allow to cool and then pull the leaves apart a bit more.
Prepare your oil and fry until the whole artichokes looks like a golden fried sunflower.
For other great Dinner Ideas from Around the World:
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Italian Cuisine:
Pesto Genovese (published September 21, 2018
Saltimbocca (Roman Style Veal Scallopini) (Published February 18, 2018)
Steamed Mussels and Fettuccine (Cozze e Fettuccine) Published May 4, 2019)
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Side DIshes:
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Canning and Preserving:
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Canned Peaches (Published August 23, 2018)
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For Other Articles About Traveling & Living in Italy try one from our Archives:
A Morning Run in Nettuno (Published September 10, 2017)
A Visit to Castelli Romani (Published September 13, 2017)
Dinner for Six (Published October 1, 2017)
Italian Cooking School (Published October 8, 2017)
Culinary Tour of Napoli (Published November 17, 2017)
Changing Seasons in Italy (Published November 25, 2017)
Our Trip to Englands Cotswolds (Published January 12, 2018)
Cooking with Pasquale (Published January 28, 2018)
A Tour of the Garden of Ninfa (Published May 7, 2018)
A Trip to Montefiascone (Published May 17, 2018)
San Gimignano, a visit to a Tuscan Hill Town (Published June 9, 2018)
Tuscan Hot Springs of San Filippo & Saturnia (Published June 13, 2018)
Articles about Tiny House “Homesteading” in California:
The Beginning of a Blog (Published May 18, 2017)
The Cherry Tree (Published May 20, 2017)
How to Roast Your Own Coffee Beans (Published May 22, 2017)
Successful Square Foot Gardening (Published May 23, 2017)
Yosemite (Published June 7, 2017)
My Tiny House (Published June 15, 2017)
Making Noyaux (French Bitter Almond Extract from Stone fruit pits) Published August 7, 2017)
Sweet & Spicy Pickles (Published July 21, 2017
Classic Canned Peaches (Published August 6, 2018)
Ricotta from Powdered Milk (Published Aug 5, 2017)
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Homemade Berry Pie (published July 23, 2017)
Almond Roca (published February 22, 2018)
Homemade Banana Cream Pie (published May 10, 2018)
Cannoli (published August 3, 2017)
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Ooey Gooey Blonde Brownies (published August 11, 2018)
Old Fashioned Peach Crisp (published August 1, 2018
Classic Canned Peaches (published August 8, 2018)
Noyaux (Almond Extract made from stone fruit pits) Published August 7, 2017
Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream (Published May 25, 2017
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Whole Wheat Waffles (published August 12, 2017)
Dutch Babies (published May 30, 2018)
Hollandaise Sauce and Eggs Benedict (published September 23, 2018)
2 Comments
The artichokes look delicious but what I really enjoyed was your story. The part where you nearly fell off the curb because the sidewalk ended while you were craning your neck looking at the lovely artichokes on people’s plates at the restaurant gave me a good chuckle. I saw you in my minds eye doing this and it was very humorous.
Im glad you liked it Dawn! It was true and made me laugh too!