Stuffed Artichokes Catania Style
( Carciofi Farciti alla Catanese – Cacocciuli Chini ‘a Catanisi” )
The artichokes harvested in the province of Catania are of the best quality.
The richness of the volcanic soil and the climate makes it possible to harvest tasty, tender and pulpy artichokes in late spring and at the beginning of summer.
Globe-shaped artichokes, called domestichi grow in the area along with the preferred mammole which grow exclusively in the hinterland around Catania.
In the province of Catania, the artichokes are stuffed with breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, little parsley, olive oil and very little salt: the result is a fragrant and sweet tasting stuffed artichoke.
In this province cheese is seldom combined with anchovies, in fact, in the coastal area, cheese is substituted with the abundant anchovies. Recipe at the end of the page.
- Serving Size6
- VegetablesStuffed Artichokes Catania Style
Ingredients
- 6 artichokes trimmed for stuffing
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1 cup of grated Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese
- ½ cup of chopped Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese
- ½ cup of chopped parsley
- 2 chopped garlic cloves
- ¾ cup of olive oil
- very little salt and pepper to taste
- ½ lemon
Instructions
PREPARATION OF THE ARTICHOKES
When preparing artichokes for cooking, wear utility gloves so you can avoid staining your hands. Prepare a basin with water, acidulated with the juice of a lemon, to soak the artichokes after they are trimmed, to prevent discoloration.
Wash the artichokes to remove sand, small stone or any foreign object.
Remove stem and discard hard outer leaves, the first 2 or 3 rows, until the artichoke’s leaves became light in color and usually tender. Trim base and cut off one-third of the petals eliminating the pointy top.
Keep the artichokes in the acidulated solution until ready to stuff and cook them.
THE STUFFING
Combine all ingredients except the lemon and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix it well and combine with it half of the olive oil
THE STUFFED ARTICHOKES
Bang the trimmed artichokes on the counter or cutting board to loosen the leaves, press them upside down and spread the petals apart so they can be stuffed.
Hold each artichoke over the top of the bowl containing the stuffing, sprinkle between the petals, pressing inside the artichoke. Distribute equally any remaining filling to form a cover on top to crown each artichoke.
THE COOKING
Place the stuffed artichokes in a pot, close together; fill any empty space with a cup filled with water and/or use aluminum foil as filler. Cover artichokes halfway with cold water and to prevent discoloration, add the lemon after squeezing a few drops of juice to the pot; also add a teaspoon of salt and pour the remaining olive oil on top of each artichoke.
Bring pot to a boil and simmer for 30/45 minutes. Check often and if needed add some water. Check if salt is needed and add.
Artichokes are done when pulling a leaf, it comes off easily.
Spoon the top of each artichoke with some of the cooking liquid remaining in the pot. Serve hot or at room temperature.
If you want to give an extra zest, sauté a few cloves of sliced garlic and some parsley in three tablespoons of olive oil, drizzle over the artichokes before serving.