Tuscan-style stuffed artichokes cooked standing in a pan: a typical recipe from my region, very tasty and full of flavor, as good as the Florentine artichoke tart, another traditional preparation well worth trying.
This dish comes from Tuscan peasant cooking, where simple but flavorful ingredients were used and, above all, nothing was wasted: an example is the side dish of artichokes and peas with potatoes, genuine and tasty.
They are very simple to make; the only slightly annoying thing (at least for me) is cleaning the artichokes, but the stuffing is very easy. Just chop parsley, pancetta and garlic and you’re done. A small tip: get a suitable pan, both in height and width, able to keep the artichokes standing upright during cooking.
Oh, and please: don’t throw away the stems! They are the best part. Clean them well and cook them together with the artichokes: you’ll get a delightful side dish.
See you at the next recipe… and in the meantime set the table!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Winter, Spring, Spring
Ingredients
- 4 globe artichokes (mammole)
- 4.2 oz pancetta
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- Half cup olive oil
- Half cup water
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 lemon
Tools
- Casseruola
- Bowl
- Cutting board
- Mezzaluna
Recipe: standing artichokes Tuscan-style
Clean the artichokes by removing the toughest outer leaves and trimming the stem, leaving about 2.5–3 in (6–7 cm). Trim well the base and the top so that they can stand upright during cooking.
Scrape the stems and place them together with the artichokes in a bowl of water with lemon juice, so they stay green and don’t blacken.
Now prepare the stuffing: chop fairly finely with a mezzaluna on the cutting board the pancetta, garlic cloves, parsley and some artichoke stem pieces. Add salt and pepper and mix everything together.
Tap the artichokes on the cutting board holding them by the base, so that the leaves open. Fill them with the prepared stuffing, trying to push it between leaf and leaf with your fingers.
Arrange them in a pan upright, resting them on the base, side by side so they are packed tightly. Add also the remaining cleaned stems.
Pour in 1/2 cup of oil and 1/2 cup of water, season with salt and cook covered over low heat for about 35–40 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and the artichokes are very tender. During cooking baste them with their juices.
Tender, fragrant artichokes, slowly cooked until soft and flavorful. A simple traditional dish rich in taste, best enjoyed just cooked.
Storage and tips
Storage: cooked standing artichokes keep well in the refrigerator. Once cool, store them in an airtight container together with their cooking juices to help keep them soft and flavorful. Under these conditions they keep for about 2–3 days. When ready to eat, gently reheat them in a pan.
Tips: during cooking use a pot of the right size so they stay tight and don’t tip over, and always keep low heat to avoid them falling apart or the liquid evaporating too quickly.
FAQ
How can I prevent artichokes from blackening?
Place them immediately in water with lemon after cleaning and work fairly quickly.
Should the Tuscan artichoke stuffing be very finely chopped?
Yes, the finer it is chopped, the better it distributes between the leaves and the more flavorful the artichokes will be.
Can I replace the pancetta?
Yes, pancetta can be replaced with prosciutto crudo for a milder flavor and a slightly lighter version of the dish. Alternatively, you can use guanciale for a more intense taste.
Can standing artichokes Tuscan-style be baked in the oven?
Certainly—you can bake them in the oven at moderate temperature, basting occasionally with their cooking juices.
Can I use artichokes other than mammole?
For this recipe mammole are ideal because they are large, meaty and easy to stuff. However, you can also use other types of artichokes: Tuscan violets are suitable, provided they are fresh and large enough to be opened and stuffed.
