This recipe is dedicated to my husband and his grandfather. While I never had the pleasure of meeting Peter, he had an incredible influence on the amazing man that my husband has become. So when, a few years back, my husband reminisced about the anchovy stuffed artichokes that his grandfather used to make, I did my best to recreate this special dish. While it may not be exactly the same, I hope I did him proud, and have gotten rave reviews. This truly is a recipe re-created with love.
Italian Stuffed Artichokes with Anchovies
Ingredients
- 1/2 lemon, zested and sliced
- 2 large Artichokes
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tbs olive oil, plus 1 for drizzling
- 2 oil packed anchovy fillets, mashed into paste, plus 2 fillets, chopped
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
Directions
Grate 1 teaspoon of zest and reserve. Taking one half of the lemon, cut into thin slices. Set aside.
Pat dry the anchovies and mash the two filets in a medium bowl, then stir in breadcrumbs, garlic, Pecorino and Parmesan cheeses, oregano, thyme, parsley, olive oil and lemon zest.
Cut the bottom of the artichokes just at the stem, so they lay flat. Take off the tough, outer leaves. With kitchen scissors or a paring knife, cut off the top 1/2 inch of each artichoke leaf. Spread out the leaves with your fingers, to allow room for stuffing. With a spoon, place the stuffing mixture throughout each leaf. Take the chopped anchovy and place throughout.
Place the artichokes in a Dutch oven. Drizzle the top of each artichoke with olive oil. Carefully pour white wine and about 1 cup water in the pan until you have covered about 1 inch. Add the lemon slices.
Cover the pot bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce to medium low and steam artichokes for approximately 35-40 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and let drain on a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
If you cook these with half of the love that I cook them with, you can’t go wrong!