There's no telling how old this recipe is -- it could conceivably date back to Imperial times, when the Roman Jewish community numbered about 50,000. In any case, carciofi alla giudia are a wonderful treat: they look like golden sunflowers and their leaves have a delicious nutty crunchiness.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Artichokes
- Oil for frying
- A half a lemon for acidulating the water
Preparation:
Giuliano Malizia notes, in La Cucina romana e del Lazio, that they're easy to make but require care, and quotes the late Secondino Freda, of the Accademia Italian della Cucina:Start making carciofi alla giudia as you would carciofi alla romana, keeping the artichokes in acidulated water until you're ready to cook them lest they blacken, then drain them well and pat them dry. Grip the stem of an artichoke and smash the bulb straight down on your work surface repeatedly while keeping the stem upright, so the petals of the artichoke open out like a flower in bloom. Once they're all open salt them, pepper them, and fry them in hot oil sufficient for them to float. When the outsides are golden wet your hand and flick a few drops of cold water over them; the oil will crackle and the leaves will become crunchy. After a few minutes drain them well and serve them hot.
