Fried Roman artichokes, or carciofi alla giudia, are one of the most iconic dishes of Rome. It was the one dish that blew my mind when I was visiting Rome a few years ago. Yes I have had many artichokes before, but never like this. The artichokes are flattened and fried until every petal turns golden and crispy, almost like a flower made of potato chips. At the center, you still get that tender heart. It’s the perfect level of crunch, and honestly one of the best ways to eat an artichoke.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions:
- Artichokes – Make sure to buy whole and then clean them down to the hearts. Trust me it is worth the labor.
- Lemons – The juice of lemons are used to prevent the artichoke from oxidizing and turning brown before frying. You can use any acid here like vinegar as well.
- Avocado Oil – I personally like to fry in avocado oil because it has a high smoke point and is neutral in flavor. A grapeseed oil will also work well here.
How to clean the artichoke to the hearts:
- Pick off all the outer leaves until you reach the inner ones that look yellow and the shape of an acorn.
- Cut off the upper 3rd of the leaves to get down to the choke.
- Trim the stem by 1/3rd. The end is more fibrous and less edible.
- Trim away the green outer base until you reach the yellow inside, do this with a pairing knife and peeler.
- Trim the outer layers of the stem with a peeler or paring knife.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the hairy looking choke in the middle of the artichoke. This part is not edible.
- Leave in lemon water to stop the artichoke from browning until it is ready to stuff.
@kellyscleankitchen How to make fried Roman artichokes #romanartichoke #artichoke #italianfood ♬ La Vie En Rose - Louis Armstrong
Crispy Fried Roman Artichokes
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time:45 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 4 artichokes, cleaned (see above details on how)
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 3-4 cups avocado oil, for frying
- Maldon salt, for finishing
Preparation:
STEP 1.
Clean the artichokes down to the hearts and place in a bowl of water with juice from two lemons. See above on tips for cleaning artichokes.
STEP 2.
Remove the artichokes from the water and pat dry. Wedge your fingers into the center and gently loosen / pull apart. You don’t want to break any leaves off, just loosen up a bit to make the end result prettier.
STEP 3.
Add 4-5 inches of avocado oil to a pot over medium high heat. It should be enough oil to cover an artichoke by half. Heat the oil to 300°F. Once hot, add the artichokes, working in batches to not overcrowd the pot. Turn occasionally so all sides are being cooked. Cook for 5-10 minutes at this lower temperature, until a knife can easily pierce through the base indicating it is mostly cooked through. Remove from the oil.
STEP 4.
Loosen the leaves after the first fry. Spread them and flatten slightly, this results in that bigger “flower” look.
STEP 5.
Raise the temperature of the oil to 350°F. Finish by frying one more time, leaf side down to crisp up the artichoke. Fry for 2-4 minutes, just until dark and crispy.
STEP 6.
Remove the artichokes from the frier and dust in maldon finishing salt. Serve and enjoy!
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