Carciofi Ripiene - Cristina’s Stuffed Artichokes
The fields of Vasto and the surrounding villages are renowned for the high quality of their artichokes. Stuffed artichokes hold a special place in the culinary tradition of the area, and in the spring, especially at Easter, you will find them on every table. Cristina makes so many exceptional dishes that I have difficulty choosing, but here is one of my favorites.
Preparation of the artichokes for stuffing:
Peel away the outermost, hard leaves.
Clean the artichokes and immerse them in a bowl of cold water with lemon juice to prevent them from darkening.
Cut off the top so it is flat, cut off the stems and trim the tips of the leaves.
Spread out the leaves to make room for the stuffing.
Ingredients for the filling:
0.5 dl breadcrumbs
A few cleaned and chopped stalks
Extra virgin olive oil
One whole egg
100 g grated pecorino cheese
200 g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Parsley
A clove of garlic
Salt and pepper
Sweet red pepper, chopped
Making the filling
Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl and mix in the cheese.
Lightly beat the egg and mix in olive oil, a little salt, the chopped pepper and the chopped parsley
Mix all the ingredients well, cover them and put them aside.
Preparing the Artichokes
Salt the artichokes inside and out, stuff them in the center and between the leaves.
Put the stuffed artichokes and the remaining stems in a pan with half a dl of olive oil and the garlic cloves.
Fry the stuffed artichokes for 5 minutes, turn them and cover them with water and a little broth. Cook them with the lid on for about 40 – 45 minutes, or until the leaves are tender. Let the liquid reduce. Some of the stuffing will run out and create a tasty sauce.
Salt as necessary and serve warm.