Carciofi Pari – Stewed Artichokes

I seriously didn’t think there was an artichoke recipe in Italy that I didn’t know. But last week, while Sophie and I were in Lecce with our group, we participated in a cooking lesson where we learned this amazing recipe which was totally new to us.

The name of the recipe is ‘Carciofi pari’ or ‘Carciofi tutti pari’ which roughly translates as ‘Artichokes all the same.’ We learned that this is a method of cooking almost any mixture of vegetables where everything gets cooked in one pot at the same time. You just layer it all in and cover to cook. No sauteing of onions first. And no stirring. Also no salt and pepper, just grated cheese to season it all. (I love that the cheese is a seasoning!)

I loved the way the dish tasted so much like fresh artichokes. Very straightforward and rustic and delicious. The mint brought brightness and the grated cheese added a bit of richness.

You can apply this method to other seasonal vegetables and I’ve found some recipes that add potatoes along with the artichokes which sounds pretty fantastic to me.

Traditionally this dish is cooked in a terra cotta pot, which allows the vegetables to cook slowly and evenly without burning.

PrintCarciofi Pari – Stewed ArtichokesIngredients1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil6 large globe artichokes, trimmed2 white onion, sliced1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggianohand full of fresh mint3 tablespoons capers1/2 cup watersalt & pepperInstructionsOnce the artichokes are trimmed of the tough outer leaves slice them into 1/4 inch slices lengthwise.Pour the olive oil into a large terra cotta pan. Add the onions, then the artichokes. Add the parmigiano, mint and capers.Turn the heat on to medium low and cover the pan. Let cook without stirring. You may have to add a bit more water. When the artichokes are tender (this should take about 40-50 minutes or so) the dish is done. Give it a stir and taste to adjust for seasoning.

 

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