Roman style artichokes

The main vegetable of Jewish-Roman cuisine, the “Romanesque” variety is larger than the others and is the basis of a tasty traditional recipe from the Eternal City.

Big Romanesco Artichokes, also know as Roman Artichokes, are in season in spring, and are cultivated in Lazio, Italy.

The Roman spring is very sweet. Like its colours, its aromas and its fruits. Walking through the intertwining of streets and squares that make up the historic centre, you almost always end up coming across a beautiful bouquet of Roman artichokes, often displayed at the entrance of the typical trattorias.

The Roman artichoke of Lazio Igp, also called mammola or cimarola, represents the gentle version of the vegetable, more compact, without thorns and with little internal beard. These characteristics make it the soul of a tasty and delicate dish, the so-called artichoke “alla romana”.

The recipe is very simple: carefully clean the artichoke, season with oil, garlic, parsley and a few leaves of mint and stew in a pan. It is perfect as a side dish, and your palate will thank you for it.