Crema di Carciofi

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide skillet with lid
• •Food processor
• •Paring knife for cleaning artichokes

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the artichokes

   Fill a bowl with cold water and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Working with one artichoke at a time, snap off the dark outer leaves until you reach the pale yellow-green inner leaves. Cut off the top third of the artichoke. Trim the stem, leaving about one inch, and peel away the tough outer layer. Halve the artichoke lengthwise and scrape out the fuzzy choke with a spoon. Cut each half into quarters and drop immediately into the lemon water to prevent browning.

   If using frozen artichoke hearts, thaw them completely, pat dry, and skip to the next step. Frozen hearts are an acceptable substitute when fresh artichokes are not in season. I would rather you use good frozen artichokes than fibrous ones shipped from across the world.
2. 2

   Braise the artichokes

   Drain the artichokes and pat dry. In a wide skillet with a lid, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about one minute. The garlic must not brown. Add the artichokes, stir to coat with oil, and cook for two minutes. Pour in the wine and let it bubble until reduced by half. Add the water, season lightly with salt, and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and braise until the artichokes are completely tender when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. If the pan becomes dry, add a splash more water. Remove and discard the garlic.

3. 3

   Puree until smooth

   Transfer the artichokes and any liquid remaining in the pan to a food processor. Add the Pecorino Romano and lemon juice. Pulse several times, then process until the mixture forms a smooth, spreadable cream. The texture should be similar to hummus: not perfectly smooth, with a bit of body remaining. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. The pecorino is salty, so you may need very little additional salt.

   For a looser consistency, add a tablespoon of olive oil while processing. For a chunkier spread, pulse fewer times. Both are correct. The Romans are not fussy about this.
4. 4

   Finish and serve

   Scrape the crema into a shallow bowl. Stir in the chopped parsley, reserving a pinch for garnish. Drizzle generously with your best olive oil. Serve at room temperature with grilled or toasted bread. The crema can also accompany raw vegetables: fennel, radishes, celery hearts.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out globe artichokes or, if you are fortunate, the smaller Italian varieties at specialty markets. The large artichokes require more cleaning but yield sweeter hearts. Baby artichokes, if truly young and tender, can be used whole with minimal trimming.
• •Pecorino Romano is essential. Do not substitute Parmigiano-Reggiano, which would make this an entirely different thing. The sharp, salty punch of pecorino is what defines this as Roman.
• •The crema keeps well in the refrigerator for three days, covered with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent oxidation. Bring to room temperature before serving. Cold dulls the flavor of artichokes.

Advance Preparation

• •The crema can be made two days ahead and refrigerated. Cover the surface directly with olive oil to prevent browning. Bring to room temperature and stir before serving.
• •Cleaned raw artichokes can be held in lemon water for up to two hours before cooking. Longer than this and they begin to waterlog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 55g)