Sicilian-Style Stuffed Artichokes Recipe
Knowing how to properly trim and clean artichokes is a valuable culinary skill to possess, and this recipe will take you through all the steps. Creating a steam bath for cooking the stuffed artichokes is simple and yields perfectly cooked artichokes and a moist stuffing.
- 4 large artichokes
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 (2-ounce) tin anchovies
- 2 cups soft Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup raw pine nuts
- ¼ cup dried currants
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Trim the stems from the artichokes so that they can sit flat upright.
- Cut about 1 ½ inches off the top of each artichoke.
- Remove any tough outer leaves and trim any pointy spikes if needed.
- Place each artichoke cut-side-down on a cutting board or other surface and press to open up the leaves.
- Use a spoon or scoop to dig out the fuzzy choke from the center of each artichoke and discard it.
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto the surface of each artichoke to prevent browning.
- Use a fork to remove the anchovies from the oil in the tin and mash them into a rough paste. Reserve the oil.
- In a large bowl, mix the mashed anchovies, breadcrumbs, ¾ cup of the cheese, all but 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, pine nuts, currants, ¼ cup of the parsley, garlic, oregano, pepper, and the reserved anchovy oil.
- Fill each artichoke with the stuffing mixture, spreading the leaves apart to press into the crevices and centers.
- Create a steam bath by placing 2 ramekins or other heat-proof small bowls upside down in the bottom of a large Dutch oven or other pot. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Fit a plate on top of the ramekins and arrange the stuffed artichokes on the plate.
- Sprinkle the artichokes with the remaining cheese and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the tops.
- Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the leaves start to pull away.
- Serve the Sicilian-style stuffed artichokes warm or at room temperature.
Gather the Sicilian-style stuffed artichokes ingredients
Start by selecting large fresh artichokes that are free of blemishes. They should feel heavy and have tight leaves and a vibrant green color, perhaps with a bit of purple marbling (you will note the purple color on the inside of the artichokes, as well). After you trim and clean the artichokes, use a lemon to squeeze the juice on the cut surfaces to minimize the browning that happens once the artichokes are exposed to the air. The stuffing for the artichokes contains classic Sicilian ingredients: fresh breadcrumbs made from crusty Italian bread, anchovies packed in olive oil, fresh garlic cloves, pine nuts, dried currants, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh Italian parsley, Pecorino Romano cheese, dried oregano, and black pepper. Some of the cheese and olive oil is reserved for topping the artichokes while they steam.
