Carciofi Alla Guidea

Fried Baby Artichokes

INGREDIENTS: 

– Olive oil

– Salt

– Black pepper

-Lemon juice

– Garlic, finely chopped

– Baby artichokes, cleaned

– Fresh mint, chopped

METHOD: 

– Take the tough outer leaves and stems off the artichokes. Cut off the prickly tops of the remaining leaves and soak each one in water and lemon juice so they don’t turn black as you work. When finished, take them out of the water and, with the heel of your hand, press down on each artichoke so the leaves loosen and separate a bit.

– Fill a large pan with enough olive oil to let the artichokes float and set over high heat until the oil gets very hot and smoky. Put all the artichokes in at one time and fry them until they are brown and crispy. They should come out crunchy on the outside an tender and juicy inside.

– Once they are cooked, put them in a bowl with the olive oil still clinging to the leaves. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and chopped mint. Mix and add a little lemon juice, if you like. Serve these with Agnello di Pasqua, for a beautiful Easter lunch.