THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021
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28
L'Italo-Americano
A
r t i c h o k e s ,
named carcio-
fi in Italy, are
edible flowers
b e l o n g i n g t o
the thistle family. They are
a s i c o n i c o f I t a l y a s t h e
Colosseum, the cliffs of Posi-
tano, pizza and – of course –
a ride in a FIAT 500. To my
knowledge, there is no other
place where you can taste so
many varieties of artichokes
in such a diversity of deli-
cious preparations.
Our passion for the mag-
n i f i c e n t f l o w e r i s s o l i d l y
founded on an average year-
l y c o n s u m p t i o n o f 8 k g
(about 18 lbs) of artichokes
p e r c a p i t a . I t a l y i s t h e
world's top producer with
about 500,000 metric tons
of artichokes in about 90
cultivars. We just can't have
enough of them.
I f y o u l i v e i n a n a r e a
where artichokes are avail-
a b l e a n d y o u h a v e n e v e r
cooked with them, you are in
for a treat. Artichokes are
among the most versatile
and interesting vegetables.
Their intense herbal flavor,
the perfect balance between
bitter and sweet, and the
buttery texture make them a
unique delicacy in the veg-
etable world.
To fall in love with arti-
chokes, you have to know
which ones to buy and how
to cook them. Also, you have
t o i n v e s t a b i t o f t i m e t o
clean them, which, the first
c o u p l e o f t i m e s , i s n o t
always quick. In Italy, we
don't eat giant artichokes
boiled in water and dipped
i n b u t t e r o r o t h e r s a u c e .
S m a l l e r a r t i c h o k e s a r e
prized when they are young
and tender and have hardly
any choke inside
In Italy, fresh artichokes
are available from October
to June.
For me, the best are the
Roman globe artichokes,
a l s o n a m e d m a m m o l e o r
cimaroli, and the oblong
purple artichokes, which
are suitable for most recipes.
What I hear from friends
around the world is that in
s o m e a r e a s , f o r e x a m p l e
California, artichokes are
plentiful near the coast and
available in many varieties.
LETIZIA MATTIACCI
Artichoke sformato can be a lovely addition to your picnic's food (Photo: Toni Brancatisano)
Continued to page 30
A taste of Spring and happy memories:
artichoke sformato
LA BUONA TAVOLA
RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES
