Chef Dimitra
Attica Gemista Orfana (Γεμιστά Ορφανά της Αττικής)
Attica gemista orfana are the summer tray of tomatoes and green peppers, rice loose with mint, dill, and parsley, baked with potatoes until the vegetables slump and sweeten.
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Anginares a la Polita, Constantinople Artichokes (Αγκινάρες αλά Πολίτα)
Created by
Constantinople's spring artichokes, pale and lemony, braised with potato, carrot, peas, dill, and enough olive oil to make the sauce shine.
Main Dishes
Greek
Easter
Special Occasion
Comfort Food
35 min
Active Time
40 min cook•1 hr 15 min total
Yield4 to 6 servings
Anginares a la Polita belong to Constantinople, the City, and the dish tells you so before the first bite: artichoke hearts kept pale, potato and carrot tucked around them, peas for spring sweetness, dill, lemon, and olive oil making a clean, silky sauce. This is ladera, food carried by oil, not by meat, and it sits naturally on the fasting table as well as the Easter one.
The whole dish is decided at the trimming board. Artichokes darken the moment the knife opens them, so you rub every cut surface with lemon and keep the hearts in lemon water while you work. Do that calmly and the pot stays bright. Rush it and the sauce turns gray before you've begun.
After that, the cooking is kind. The vegetables braise together without browning, covered and quiet, until the potatoes yield and the artichoke hearts take a knife with no fight. Finish with dill and lemon off the heat, then let the pot rest. My grandmother Despina called this food of spring and patience. She was right.
Anginares a la Polita means artichokes in the style of Poli, the Greek name for Constantinople among Romios families. The dish reflects the urban vegetable cookery of the City, where spring produce, olive oil, lemon, and dill made fasting food feel generous rather than spare. Its name preserves a place as much as a method: the region is the dish's surname.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
fresh artichokes (anginares)
Quantity
8
lemons
Quantity
3
divided
extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil
Quantity
80ml
yellow onion
Quantity
1 large
finely chopped
spring onions
Quantity
4
sliced
carrots
Quantity
2 medium
sliced into thick coins
waxy potatoes
Quantity
450g
peeled and cut into large wedges
fresh or frozen peas
Quantity
150g
fresh dill
Quantity
15g
finely chopped
fine sea salt
Quantity
1 teaspoon
plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
hot water
Quantity
500ml
plain flour
Quantity
1 tablespoon
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| fresh artichokes (anginares) | 8 |
| lemonsdivided | 3 |
| extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil | 80ml |
| yellow onionfinely chopped | 1 large |
| spring onionssliced | 4 |
| carrotssliced into thick coins | 2 medium |
| waxy potatoespeeled and cut into large wedges | 450g |
| fresh or frozen peas | 150g |
| fresh dillfinely chopped | 15g |
| fine sea saltplus more to taste | 1 teaspoon |
| freshly ground black pepper | 1/2 teaspoon |
| hot water | 500ml |
| plain flour | 1 tablespoon |
Equipment Needed
- •wide heavy pot with lid, 28cm
- •small spoon or melon baller for removing chokes
- •large bowl for lemon water
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Lemon Water
Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze in the juice of 2 lemons. Drop the squeezed lemon halves into the bowl as well. This is where each trimmed artichoke waits, so keep it close to your cutting board.
- 2
Trim Artichokes
Working one at a time, snap off the tough outer leaves until you reach the pale tender leaves. Cut off the top third, trim the stem to about 4cm, peel the stem and base, then halve the artichoke and scoop out the hairy choke if it has formed. Rub every cut surface with lemon immediately and place the heart in the lemon water. This is the step that keeps Anginares a la Polita bright instead of dull and blackened.
If the artichokes are very young and have no choke yet, leave them whole after trimming. Small spring artichokes are the prize here. - 3
Soften Onions
Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the yellow onion and spring onions with a pinch of the salt, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until glossy and soft but not browned. This dish wants a pale lemon sauce, not the taste of fried onion.
- 4
Layer Vegetables
Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot and turn them gently in the oil. Nestle the drained artichoke hearts on top, cut side down if halved, then add the peas, remaining salt, pepper, and hot water. The liquid should come about halfway up the vegetables, not drown them.
- 5
Braise Gently
Bring the pot to a quiet simmer, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. Shake the pot now and then instead of stirring hard, so the potatoes stay whole and the artichokes don't break. The dish is ready for finishing when a knife slips into the thickest heart and the potatoes are tender.
- 6
Finish Sauce
Whisk the flour with the juice of the remaining lemon and 3 tablespoons of warm broth from the pot until smooth. Pour it back around the vegetables, add the dill, and simmer uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce looks lightly bound and glossy. Taste for salt and lemon.
- 7
Rest and Serve
Take the pot off the heat and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Anginares a la Polita are best warm, not scalding, with the sauce settled around the vegetables and a little extra olive oil over the top if the pot asks for it.
Chef Tips
- •Choose heavy, closed artichokes with tight leaves and stems that still look juicy. If the stems are dry and the leaves gape open, the season has passed them by.
- •Frozen artichoke hearts are acceptable when fresh ones are poor. Use 700g, thaw them, pat them dry, and add them with the potatoes. A real Greek kitchen reaches for what keeps the dish honest.
- •This is nistisimo, suitable for the fasting table as written. Serve it with bread for the lemony oil, olives, and, outside the fast, a piece of feta.
Advance Preparation
- •Trim the artichokes up to 2 hours ahead and keep them submerged in lemon water.
- •The finished dish keeps well for 2 days in the refrigerator. Bring it back to room temperature or warm it gently, because hard boiling breaks the vegetables.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 400g)
Calories
320 calories
Total Fat
15 g
Saturated Fat
2 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
13 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
650 mg
Total Carbohydrates
42 g
Dietary Fiber
12 g
Sugars
7 g
Protein
9 g
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