Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES 6 SERVINGS

- 6 large ar tichokes 1 lemon, halved
- 2/3 cup (2 1/2 oz/75 g) plain fine dried bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
- 1/4 cup (1/3 oz/10 g) chopped fresh flat-Ieaf (Italian) parsley
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- About 4 tablespoons (2 fl oz/60 ml) olive oil

Artichokes lend themselves to stuffing. You'il find them filled with canned tuna in Abruzzo, sausage meat in Calabria, rice in the Veneto, and ricotta and salami in Sicily. This filling, with minor variations, is popular throughout southern Italy.

Working with 1 artichoke at a time, trim the stem even with the artichoke bottom, peel and chop the stem, and set aside. Snap off the small, tough leaves around the base. Cut off the top 3/4 inch (2 cm) of the leaves with a serrated knife or chef's knife to remove the prickly tips. Gently pry the center leaves open and, using a small spoon, scoop out the prickly choke and discard. Repeat with the remaining artichokes. Rub the cut sides of each artichoke with a lemon half as you trim them to prevent the artichoke from darkening.
In a bowl, combine the chopped stems, bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, or just enough to moisten the mixture. Gently spread open the center and the rows of leaves of an artichoke and push a little of the stuffing mixture between them. Stuff ali the artichokes in this way.

Place the artichokes upright in a pot just large enough to hold them. Add water to reach about one-third of the way up the sides of the artichokes. Drizzle the tops of the artichokes with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Cover the pot and piace over low heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the artichoke hearts are tender when pierced with a knife and a leaf is easily pulled out, about 45 minutes. Add a little more water if the liquid evaporates too quickly.
Transfer the artichokes to individuai plates or bowls and serve warm or at room temperature.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 4-6 SERVINGS

- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 lb (500 g) Jerusalem artichokes, peeled
- 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Native to North America, lerusalem artichokes were originally dubbed girasole, Italian for "sunflower," by early Europeans, a name that evolved into Jerusalem in the English-speaking world. The moniker is apt, for the tubers come from a type of sunflower that is a dose relative of the common garden sunflower. Also known as sunchokes, Jerusalem artichokes have a ;weet, nutty flavor reminiscent of artichokes, though the resemblance stops there.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C). Grease the bottom of an oval gratin dish about 12 inches (30 cm) long with 1 tablespoon of the butter.

Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a bollo Add 1 tablespoon salt and the Jerusalem artichokes and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Drain well. When the artichokes are cool enough to handle, cut into slices about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
Arrange the slices in the prepared dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into bits and dot the surface evenly. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese.

Bake the gratin until the cheese is golden and begins to melt and the Jerusalem artichokes are piping hot and tender when pierced with a knife, 15-20 minutes. Serve at once directly from the dish.

Buon appetito !

 MAKE 4-6 SERVINGS

- 2 lemons
- 12 baby artichokes with stems
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (1 oz/30 g) grated pecorino romano cheese
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 cups (8 oz/250 g) plain fine dried bread crumbs
- Olive oil for frying

In spring and again in fall, artichokes fill the markets in Lazio, and Romans eat them every chance they get. Here, small, tender artichokes are lightly cloaked in bread crumbs before they are fried, yieiding a crisp result. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice lifts the sweet artichoke flavor.

Fill a large bowl three-fourths full with cold water. Cut 1 lemon in half and squeeze the juice of both halves into the water. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, cut off the top 1/2 - 1/3 inch (12 mm-2 cm) of the leaves with a paring knife to remove the prickly tips. Pull off all the tough, dark green outer leaves until you reach the tender, pale inner leaves. Cut a thin slice off the base of the stem, then peel off the tough, dark outer flesh around the base of the leaves and along the length of the stem, leaving the stem attached. Cut the artichoke in half or quarters lengthwise, and then cut out the fuzzy choke, if any, at the base of the leaves. Drop the wedges into the lemon water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
Drain the artichokes and pat dry on paper towels. In a shallow bowl, beat together the eggs and cheese until blended, and season with salt and pepper. Spread the bread crumbs on a plate. One at a time, dip the artichoke pieces into the egg mixture, and then roll them in the bread crumbs. As the pieces are coated, piace them on a wire rack. When ali the pieces are coated, let them dry for 15 minutes.
Position a rack in the middie of the oven and preheat to 200°F (95°C). Pour the olive oil to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm) into a deep, heavy frying pan and heat to 375°F (190°C) on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a platter or baking sheet with paper towels and set it next to the stove.
When the oil is ready, add a few artichoke pieces, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry the pieces, turning them once or twice, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a siotted spoon, transfer the artichokes to the towel-lined platter to drain and piace in the oven to keep warm. Fry the remaining artichoke pieces in the same way, allowing the oil to return to the originai frying temperature before adding the next batch.
Cut the remaining lemon into wedges. Arrange the artichokes on a platter, sprinkie with additional salt and pepper, and serve at once with the lemon wedges.

Buon appetito!