Artichokes are a little tricky to cut but totally worth the effort, they’re delicious and packed with calcium, vitamin C, A and iron.
Remember to place cut artichokes in water with lemon juice as you go so they don’t oxidize.
Serves 6-8 people
INGREDIENTS
- 8-10 Fresh Artichokes
- 2 Lemons
- 3 Eggs
- Olive Oil for Frying
- 1 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
- 2 Tbsp Pecorino Cheese, Grated
- 3 Cloves of Garlic, Grated
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, Chopped
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
RECIPE
- Prepare artichokes by properly peeling them. To do this, use your knife to break away the ‘leaves’ of the artichoke. You know where to break them, by where it is easiest for them to snap on their own, when pulled slightly. As you get closer to the center of the artichoke, and it is no longer easy to break the ‘leaves’ off, work your knife around the outside of the artichoke, peeling away the layers until you hit the tender center. Be sure to slice them open and check for fuzzy insides. You do not want to eat anything fuzzy on the inside, so be sure to cut those out.
- Soak the cut artichokes in lemon water.
- Grate the garlic, and place in a bowl, then add the grated cheese.
- Crack and mix in the eggs, adding black pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp), and chopped parsley and whisk all items together.
- Take the artichoke one by one, and dip into the egg batter, then roll it into the bread crumbs (placed in a bowl), and then place into a third empty bowl.
- Once all of them are breaded, put olive oil in a deep frying pan, on medium high heat. Once oil is heated through, place artichokes in one by one and cook until they are golden brown on all sides. After they are cooked, place them into a strainer, which has a paper towel in the bottom, and is hanging inside of a bowl. This will allow them to drip any excess oil.
- When serving, top with grated cheese if desired!
NOTES FROM NONNA
- If you use baby artichokes, you should cut them in half, and if using regular artichokes, you should cut them into quarters -however, you can cut them to whatever size you wish.
- To make life easier, you can also purchase frozen artichoke hearts, which will be ready to go. **You could even use a pot for a super easy cleanup.
- Periodically, while cooking, use a slotted spoon to fish out the “crumbs” that end up in the oil. This will help to keep the oil clean, so that you can keep using it.
- When you start to cook, place tin foil to the side of the pan, where you will carry the artichokes over to the strainer. This will make for a very easy cleanup, with no oil drips on your stove!
