Melty Baked Artichoke Hearts: The Vegetarian Side Dish Recipe in Three Steps
If you love artichokes like I do, and you appreciate the qualities of this wonderful vegetable both for its versatility and flavor and for its nutritional value, you are in the right place! The recipe I propose today is more than a simple side dish, because when needed it can also turn into a light vegetarian main course or even be served as a finger food appetizer at the start of a meal or at a casual buffet! It’s made in three steps and fairly quickly, except for cleaning the artichokes, the most tedious part of the whole preparation. But the final result will be worth it: tasty and flavorful, the melty baked artichoke hearts will literally disappear!
In this recipe, you’ll find smoked scamorza and plenty of Parmesan which give an excellent savory touch, enhancing the characteristic flavor of the artichoke without overpowering it. Of course you can substitute it with a cheese you prefer if you wish. My husband loves them, my mother-in-law sometimes makes variations that I’ll leave you at the end of the recipe so you can enjoy them differently each time or create alternatives that will win over the whole family and your pickiest guests!
How to Make Melty Artichokes in 3 Steps
Cleaning: after thoroughly cleaning the artichokes by removing the tougher outer leaves (the most tedious part, I know, but necessary!), cut the hearts in half and plunge them into acidulated water.
Cooking on the stovetop: blanch the hearts for a few minutes in salted water and place them on a baking sheet.
Seasoning: finally season with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, add the smoked scamorza cut into chunks, plenty of grated Parmesan and bake until the cheese is completely melted and golden.
Other artichoke recipes you might be interested in:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring, Spring, Summer and Autumn
Ingredients
⚠ IN THIS RECIPE THERE ARE ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; buying them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it will cost you nothing extra!
- 6 artichokes
- 3.5 oz smoked scamorza
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 lemon (juice)
- garlic powder
- A few sprig lemon thyme
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste mixed peppercorns
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Slotted spoon
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Spoon
Steps
Start by cleaning the artichokes, removing the tougher outer and spiny leaves. Continue until you reach the tender, paler leaves.
With a sharp knife, separate the stems from the heads with a clean cut and remove the tougher outer part at the base of the artichokes.
At this point cut off about 1 inch (2–3 cm) from the top of the artichoke. This step will remove the spikiest tips.
Cut each artichoke in half and remove the inner choke (the ‘fuzzy’ part).
Now take care of the stems, which are also edible and delicious: shorten the dirtier end leaving about 2 in (5 cm) and remove the outer fibrous layer.
If they are very thick, halve them lengthwise. This will help them cook more easily.
Plunge the hearts and stems as you go into a large bowl of acidulated water with lemon juice and lemon slices to prevent oxidation and browning.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring plenty of salted water to a boil and blanch the stems and artichoke hearts for about 8 minutes once well drained. They should not resist too much when pierced with a fork, but should not be soggy either.
Drain them with a slotted spoon and place them well drained on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Season them by adjusting salt and pepper, a pinch of garlic powder (optional), the smoked scamorza cut into large chunks, the leaves of thyme, a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan and a generous drizzle of olive oil on top. Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F (180°C) for 30 minutes or until the cheese is well melted and the artichokes are golden.
Serve after allowing them to cool for a few minutes.
And voilà… the melty baked artichoke hearts are ready to be enjoyed!
Enjoy your meal from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉You can store the baked artichokes in the fridge in containers suitable for refrigeration for up to 1-2 days from preparation. I do not recommend freezing them.
Tips, notes, variations and suggestions
🔵Mother-in-law’s version: my mother-in-law often adds a handful of breadcrumbs and grated lemon zest with herbs (in her case finely chopped parsley) on top of the scamorza to create an even crunchier crust!
Vegan variation (light and fragrant): replace the cheeses with chopped almonds or pine nuts and plenty of nutritional yeast flakes. Make an emulsion of oil, lemon juice and crushed garlic to brush the artichokes before baking.
🔵For non-vegetarians, try wrapping each artichoke heart in a slice of speck or smoked bacon before adding the cheese: an explosion of flavor will surprise you!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
1. Can I use frozen artichokes?
Yes! If you’re short on time, frozen artichoke hearts are a great already-cleaned alternative. Blanch them directly in salted water before baking.
2. Which cheese can I use instead of scamorza?
If you prefer a milder flavor, you can use provola dolce, Asiago, or low-moisture mozzarella (which releases less water).
