Carciofi alla romana

Carciofi alla romana is a special and tasty dish from the city of Rome. It is made by slowly cooking artichokes in a pan until they are soft and full of flavor. This dish is very popular in the springtime when artichokes are in season. Families and restaurants in Rome all enjoy preparing and eating carciofi alla romana during this time of year.

It is one of the most famous artichoke dishes in Roman cooking. Another well-known artichoke dish from Rome is carciofi alla giudia, which is made by deep-frying artichokes. This dish came from the Jewish community in Rome and has its own unique taste and style. Both dishes show how much Romans love to cook with artichokes in creative and delicious ways.

Preparation

In Rome and nearby areas, this dish uses a special type of artichoke called Romanesco, gathered between February and April near the coast between Ladispoli and Civitavecchia.

The artichokes are cleaned by removing hard leaves and thorns, and a little of the stem is kept. They are dipped in water with lemon juice to keep them fresh. After opening the center and taking out the tough part, each artichoke is filled with a mix of parsley, lesser calamint, and garlic, along with salt and pepper. The artichokes are then placed in a pan, added with water and olive oil, and cooked until the liquid disappears. They can be served warm or at room temperature.