The Sanseverese carducci stew is the dish of the Easter tradition, indispensable on our tables, made of lamb, eggs and carducci, of course.
A dish that contains not only the taste of the land, but also the history and culture of a people deeply tied to their agricultural roots.
The carducci, which, for example, in the Lazio region are a type of artichoke, here are wild herbs that grow in the countryside of Capitanata, a vast area that includes the province of Foggia, in Puglia. These plants are part of the agricultural tradition and are especially connected to the local peasant culture of San Severo.
As always happens with culinary traditions, every family keeps its own recipe and so, the one I am sharing is my family’s carducci recipe, as my mother still makes it. The dish is prepared with traditional ingredients but is then finished in the oven rather than served as a stew.
So, if you have never had the chance to taste the Sanseverese carducci stew, I recommend you try it because it is truly an experience worth having.
READ THE FAQS AND TIPS AT THE END OF THE RECIPE
OTHER INTERESTING RECIPES:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Cooking time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 10 People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Local
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs lamb (leg)
- 2.2 lbs carducci (wild thistles/wild greens)
- 5 eggs
- 1 glass white wine (about 1/2 cup (4 fl oz))
- extra virgin olive oil
- garlic
- salt
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
Steps
Carducci are wild, slightly spiny herbs that are a bit tricky to clean, so when I’m short on time I have the woman who sells them to me clean them.
As for the lamb, I prefer to use the leg because it has a slightly milder flavor than other cuts. Also, if possible, have your butcher debone it and save the bones to make the broth more flavorful.
Thoroughly wash the carducci several times, because being low-growing herbs they are full of dirt.
Boil the carducci in salted boiling water and drain them when tender (usually about 7–8 minutes). Set them aside temporarily and attend to the meat.
Pour a generous splash of oil into a pan, add whole garlic (one or two cloves) and let it sauté; remove the garlic, add the pieces of meat and brown them on all sides.
Deglaze the lamb with white wine, salt, cover and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes (it depends on how large the pieces are).
As soon as the meat has cooled slightly, cut it into pieces and check that there are no small bones or overly fatty parts (which should be removed).
Pour into the bottom of a baking dish one or two ladles of the lamb broth formed during cooking and add the carducci and the pieces of meat. PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 356°F.
Break the eggs into a bowl, beat them with a fork, add 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, a little salt and mix.
Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish and bake. Cook for about 20 minutes. Of course, the larger the dish and the more ingredients inside, the more time it will take; generally, the top should color slightly.
Remove from the oven and, before serving, break the surface with a fork to make it irregular (otherwise it looks like an omelet) and serve.
Tips:
The Sanseverese carducci stew can also be prepared the day before, so that the flavors meld better with resting, and then it just needs to be reheated in the oven.
Sometimes my mother uses an aluminum pan and therefore cooks the stew on the stove and only at the end transfers it to the oven to get a crust.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I change the type of meat?
Tradition calls for lamb, but it also works very well with goat meat.
I can’t find carducci, how can I substitute them?
Carducci are indeed hard to find if you are not from the area, so a valid substitute is asparagus, which I have tried successfully several times.
Do children eat it willingly?
To be honest, I didn’t like it at all as a child… it depends on tastes.
