by Joseph Calzaretta
INTRODUCTION
This is my version of a recipe I got from my mother, Nancy Calzaretta, which is a version of a recipe she got from her mother, Mary Crema. Presumably some version of this recipe goes back further into Italy somewhere? My mom made this with every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal, and now I do the same with my family. There's a lot of garlic in it. A lot.
INGREDIENTS
- 10 artichokes
- 26-oz container of salt (yes, the whole thing)
- 2½ cups vegetable oil
- 1½ cups Italian-style bread crumbs
- 1¾ cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (if unavailable, substitute regular Romano)
- ¾ cup minced garlic (about 3 heads of garlic)
- ½ tsp pepper
MAKE THE STUFFING
Combine the bread crumbs, grated cheese, minced garlic, pepper, and 1 tsp of salt in a large bowl.
I usually store the stuffing in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. It freezes well for up to six months, so I typically double
or even quadruple the recipe to have enough for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
PREPARE THE ARTICHOKES
- Cut off the stems of the artichokes so they sit flat. Keep the stems, but trim the ends.
- Cut off the tops of the artichokes to create room for the stuffing.
- Spread the leaves of the artichokes a bit. You can loosen them by rapping them gently against a counter or sink before spreading them with your fingers. Be careful not to break the artichokes in half.
- Place the artichokes in a large bowl or pot. (You can stack them if you want.)
- Fill each artichoke completely with salt, then cover them with water.
- Let the artichokes soak in the salt water for about an hour.
- Rinse the artichokes thoroughly, shake out any remaining salt and water, then turn them upside down to let them dry.
- Stuff the artichokes with the prepared stuffing. Use a spoon to press the mixture in between every leaf, ensuring the artichoke is completely filled. The stuffing should reach the top of the artichoke. I usually place each artichoke in a bowl while stuffing to salvage any mixture that falls out.
COOK THE ARTICHOKES
- In a large pot, arrange the artichokes next to each other in a single layer. My largest pot fits about 7 artichokes, so I typically use two pots. Ideally, there should be as little empty space as possible. Place the trimmed stems in any gaps between the artichokes.
- Add the vegetable oil to the pot, then fill with hot water until it reaches at least ¾ of the height of the artichokes.
- Heat the pot on high until the water begins to boil. Then reduce the heat to medium or low to maintain a simmer or gentle boil.
- Allow the artichokes to cook, replenishing with hot water as needed to maintain the water level at ¾ of the artichokes' height.
- Cook until an outer leaf can be easily pulled off with tongs. If cooked long enough, the bottoms of the artichokes will blacken slightly, and the garlic-cheese mixture will adhere to the pot. This caramelized layer is very tasty (and probably not the healthiest), but avoid overcooking to the point of completely burned artichokes. Cooking time can vary but plan for at least an hour.
SERVE AND EAT
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Carefully remove the artichokes from the pot using serving spoons. They can fall apart easily, so handle with care.
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Save the cheese, garlic, and oil mixture left at the bottom of the pot. You can drizzle it over the tops of the artichokes or add it to turkey gravy.
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The outer leaves are too tough to chew fully. Use them as scoops for the stuffing. Hold the tip of the leaf with your fingers, place it base-first in your mouth, bite down, and pull the leaf out, scraping off the tender part of the leaf and the stuffing with your teeth.
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The inner leaves might be soft enough to eat whole.
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The artichoke hearts and stems are soft and edible—don't miss those!
AFTERWARDS
- If the pot is difficult to clean, boil a mixture of water and granular dishwasher detergent for a while to help loosen any stuck-on bits.
- Leftover artichokes will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week or two. Some people even think they taste better reheated!
- This recipe involves a lot of garlic, oil, and cheese—be mindful of eating so much that you regret it afterward!