Fried Artichokes Jewish-Roman Style (Carciofi alla Giudia)

La storia di questo piatto

Born in the Jewish Ghetto of Rome, this is the artichoke turned into a golden flower, a living memory of Roman-Jewish cooking, where the Roman artichoke meets olive oil, lemon, and a leaf of parsley.

Ingredienti

• 8 pieces Roman artichokes
• 1 liter Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 pieces Lemon (juice for the soaking bath)
• 10 g Sea salt
• 1 g Freshly ground black pepper
• 10 g Fresh parsley
• 500 ml Water (for the lemon soaking bath)

Preparazione

1. Using your hands, remove the tougher outer leaves, the ones that won't bend; cut off the spiky tip with one clean stroke of the knife and trim the stem, peeling it. Prepare the soaking bath: pour the 500 ml of water and the juice of the 2 lemons into a bowl. As you clean them, immerse the artichokes in the soaking bath to prevent them from darkening, and leave them there until it's time to fry.
2. Drain the artichokes and dry them thoroughly, leaf by leaf, with a clean cloth or paper towel: if they remain wet the oil will splatter and the leaves won't become crispy. Then, with your fingers, gently open the leaves starting from the center, turning the artichoke as if to make it bloom. Season the inside with a pinch of the indicated salt.
3. First frying: pour the oil into a high-sided pot and heat it to 140–150°C. Immerse the artichokes upside down, with the stem facing up, and fry them for 8–10 minutes, until the heart is tender (it should yield to the tip of a skewer). Remove them with a slotted spoon and let them rest a few minutes on paper towels.
4. Second frying: bring the oil to 170–180°C. Lightly press each artichoke on its tip against the work surface to open the leaves into a flower shape, then return it to the oil and fry for 2–3 minutes, until the leaves become golden and crispy like petals. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain off the excess oil on paper towels.
5. Season the still-hot artichokes immediately with the remaining salt, the ground pepper and the freshly chopped parsley. Taste a leaf before serving to check the salt. Serve immediately, while they are still hot and crispy.