Culinary Explorer
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Crema di Carciofi
Created by Chef Graziella
Roman artichokes pureed with sharp pecorino and bright lemon, spread onto warm bread or scooped with crisp vegetables. This is spring on the table.
Romans understand artichokes in a way other Italians do not. The carciofi romanesco, with its purple-tinged leaves and tender heart, appears in March and the city loses its collective mind. Vendors stack them in pyramids at Campo de' Fiori. Trattorias write them on chalkboards. For a few weeks, artichokes are everywhere, cooked every possible way.
This crema captures that obsession in its simplest form. You braise the hearts until they surrender completely, then puree them with pecorino and lemon. What emerges is something between a spread and a dip, equally at home on toasted bread or beside a pile of raw fennel.
The garlic here is a suggestion, not a presence. You cook two cloves in the oil to perfume it, then discard them before pureeing. What remains is warmth without aggression. The pecorino provides salt and sharpness, the lemon provides brightness. The artichoke provides everything else.
Ingredients
fresh artichokes
Quantity
2 pounds (about 4 large)
or 14 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
lemon
Quantity
1
halved, for cleaning artichokes
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
3 tablespoons, plus more for drizzling
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| fresh artichokesor 14 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed | 2 pounds (about 4 large) |
| lemonhalved, for cleaning artichokes | 1 |
| extra virgin olive oil | 3 tablespoons, plus more for drizzling |
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