The Tuscan stuffed artichokes are one of my favorite ways to prepare this spring vegetable. It’s a typical dish from the Florence area and I learned it from my mother, who made it often. It can almost be considered a one-dish meal given the substantial filling. At the same time it can be described as a sustainable and no-waste dish because the whole artichoke is used, discarding only the toughest leaves. If you want another little taste of Tuscany you could try a little-known but easy dessert like the Berlingozzo; or take a look at my Instagram profile where you’ll find many dishes from Dante’s land.
So, shall we try this Tuscan stuffed artichoke? Put on your apron and let’s go!
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Tuscany
- Seasonality: Spring
- Energy 471.03 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 13.40 (g) of which sugars 1.14 (g)
- Proteins 7.43 (g)
- Fat 44.58 (g) of which saturated 14.67 (g)of which unsaturated 22.27 (g)
- Fibers 6.48 (g)
- Sodium 816.74 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 180 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
To prepare Tuscan stuffed artichokes it’s very important to pay attention to the quality and type of artichokes; they should be fairly large and fleshy, with few “hairs” inside and without thorns or hard parts. The best type is undoubtedly the mammole artichokes, which are perfect for stuffing. Generally when preparing this dish you consider 1 stuffed artichoke per person. I assure you it’s enough!
- 6 mammole artichokes (or large tender artichokes)
- 11 oz guanciale (or pancetta or slab bacon (rigatino))
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 glass water
Tools
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife paring knife
- 1 Casserole
- 1 Glass
- 3 Bowls
Steps
Before starting the actual preparation it’s useful to prepare all the ingredients so you don’t have to do it while cooking; you should cut the pancetta or guanciale into cubes and clean the artichokes.
The artichokes should be freed of the outer leaves, the hard, somewhat woody ones; trim the stem (which will be used later) and clean the base so they can stand upright… that is, standing! Once ready it’s better to put them in a bowl with water and lemon slices to prevent them from browning.
After all the preliminary operations, clean the stems well with a sharp knife, trying to remove all the outer damaged part. On a cutting board, cut them into pieces and put them in the food processor.
Add the stem pieces together with the garlic cloves in pieces and then the parsley, finishing with the salt and pepper (optional; if you don’t like pepper you can omit it).
Run the mixer until the mixture of ingredients is well chopped and has the consistency shown in the photo.
Place the mix in a small bowl and add the guanciale. Mix very well. This will be the flavorful filling for the standing artichokes!
After removing the artichokes from the water and patting them dry with paper, take them one at a time and open the inner leaves to create a “nest” for the filling. Fill the artichoke very well and place it in a casserole in which you’ve previously poured some oil. The casserole should not be too big, because the artichokes must stand upright and support each other.
Once all the artichokes are arranged, sprinkle the casserole with any leftover filling and pour in half a glass of water.
Turn on the heat to medium-low and put the casserole on with the lid for about twenty minutes. Check occasionally that there is still water. If not, add a little more.
Continue cooking with the lid on until the artichokes are tender at the base (it’s good to test with a fork). When they are almost done remove the lid and increase the heat to dry the artichokes and make the filling in the casserole crispy. Indicatively about half an hour of cooking will be needed, although it depends a lot on the artichoke.
When cooked, place the Tuscan stuffed artichokes on plates, spoon some of the crispy filling on top and drizzle with the cooking juices.
I recommend considering this as a one-dish meal even though in Tuscany it is considered a side dish!
Tips
The Tuscan stuffed artichokes can also be made with a vegan variation simply by removing the guanciale or replacing it with vegan bacon. Besides being a tasty and substantial dish, like all artichoke dishes they have countless benefits; in fact these vegetables are rich in fiber and potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium and contain cynarin, a substance that can help digestion by stimulating bile. So what could be better than doing something good for your health without forgetting taste? Have you ever eaten them? Come tell me on Instagram, where there’s also a reel showing the process. I’ll be waiting for you!
