Artichokes (carciofi) play an important part in Italian cuisine. Known to both the Greeks and the Romans, artichokes – according to the Oxford Companion to Italian Food - were developed from the wild cardoon. Today in Italy artichokes might be fried with potatoes and garlic, cooked in a savoury tart or used in a frittata. You might also find that artichokes have been used to flavour a pasta sauce.
Preparing Artichokes
The artichoke season is from spring until early summer, when you’ll see these distinctive vegetables on market stalls across Italy. The trouble with artichokes is that they’re fiddly to prepare – you must remove the thick outer leaves to get to the edible heart. You can buy prepared artichoke hearts, which is certainly easier, but they don’t have the flavour of fresh ones. This recipe for a substantial artichoke and prosciutto salad explains how to prepare the artichokes yourself – which should impress any guests. The recipe comes from a handy new book called Salads (pub. Murdoch Books, £4.99) and appears here with permission.
Artichoke, Prosciutto and Rocket Salad – Recipe
Ingredients – Serves 4
- 4 artichokes
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 20g (3/4 oz/1/4 cup) fresh breadcrumbs
- 25g (1 oz / ¼ cup) grated parmesan cheese
- Olive oil for frying
- 8 slices prosciutto
- 3 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 3 handfuls rocket (arugula), long stalks trimmed
Method
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Remove the hard, outer leaves of each artichoke, trim the stem and cut 2.5cm (1 inch) off the top. Cut into quarters and remove the furry ‘choke’. Boil the pieces for 2 minutes, then drain.
- Whisk the eggs in a bowl and mix the seasoned breadcrumbs and grated parmesan in another bowl. Dip each artichoke quarter into the egg, then roll in the crumb mixture to coat.
- Fill a frying pan with olive oil to a depth of 2cm (3/4 inch) and heat over a medium-high heat. Add the artichokes in batches and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the prosciutto in two batches for 2 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Remove from the pan, reserving the oil.
- Combine the reserved oil, vinegar and garlic with a little salt and pepper. Place the rocket (arugula) in a bowl, add half of the salad dressing and toss well. Divide the rocket, artichokes and prosciutto among four plates, and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Sprinkle with sea salt.
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