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Carciofi alla giudia — crisp whole-fried artichokes
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Source: https://recipheon.com/en/recipes/snacks/carciofi-alla-giudia-crisp-whole-fried-artichokes
About this recipe
Carciofi alla giudia are whole-fried artichokes with crisp leaves and a soft, delicate heart. Choose young, round Romanesco artichokes, also called mammole, without hard spines or a developed choke inside. After trimming them thoroughly, fry twice: first gently to soften them right through the base, then briefly in hotter olive oil so the leaves open like a flower and become crisp. Salt and pepper are all this Roman snack needs for seasoning. Serve immediately, one artichoke per portion.
Ingredients
Artichokes and seasoning
4 young Romanesco or mammole artichokes — about 1.2 kg before trimming, about 600 g edible portion after trimming
4 g fine salt
0.5 g ground black pepper
For trimming and frying
2 l cold water for a brief soaking bath; drain it after trimming
50 ml lemon juice for the water; the bath is not part of the dish
2 l extra-virgin olive oil for the frying bath; most will remain after frying
Steps
Combine the cold water and lemon juice in a bowl. Pull off the artichokes’ tough, dark outer leaves until the remaining leaves are noticeably paler and more tender. Trim each stem to 4–5 cm and peel the fibrous layer from the stem and the base of the head, leaving the pale center.
Use a small sharp knife to trim the tough tips from the remaining leaves, rotating the head and cutting in a spiral to keep its rounded shape. Gently open the central leaves and use a teaspoon to remove any fuzzy choke above the heart, without cutting away the base itself. Put trimmed artichokes in the lemon water only while preparing the remaining ones.
Lift the artichokes out of the water, turn them head down and gently shake out the water over the sink. Dry carefully with a clean cloth or paper towels, including between the slightly opened leaves. No drops of water should remain before frying, as they make the olive oil splatter vigorously.
Pour the olive oil into a tall pot about 20 cm in diameter, leaving plenty of space above its surface; do not fill the pot above half its height before adding the artichokes. Heat to about 140–150°C: the first stage should be gentle, without rapidly browning the leaves.
Carefully add two artichokes at a time, with the heads submerged and room to move freely in the oil; the stems may stick out above the surface. Fry for about 12–15 minutes over moderate heat, turning gently occasionally, until a fork slides easily into the base beside the stem and into the stem itself. The leaves should soften while staying pale; if the center still resists, fry a few minutes longer, then repeat with the second pair.
Lift out the artichokes with a slotted spoon and place them head down on paper towels so the olive oil drains off. After frying the last pair, give that pair about 10 minutes to cool, until you can touch the leaves safely. Gently fan out each artichoke’s leaves from the center outward to form a wide flower, without tearing them away from the soft base.
AI-generated Heat the same olive oil further, to about 175–180°C. Add the artichokes one at a time, head down, holding the stem with long tongs and helping the leaves open in the oil. Fry for 1–2 minutes, until the leaves are golden and crisp, then turn the artichoke briefly at the end to warm the stem. Remove before the tips turn dark brown; let the oil return to temperature between artichokes.
Let the olive oil run off, drain the artichokes briefly on paper towels and season with all the salt and pepper. Serve immediately, one per portion, without covering or stacking so steam does not soften the crisp leaves.
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