Stuffed Artichokes Recipe

(Carciofi ripieni)

Cut the stalk at the base, remove the small outside leaves and wash the

artichokes. Then cut the top and open the internal leaves so that you

can cut the bottom with a small knife and remove the hairy part if it is

there. Keep aside the small interior leaves to put them with the

stuffing. This, if to be used, for example, for six artichokes, must be

composed of the above small leaves, 1/8 lb. of ham more lean than fat,

one fourth of a small onion, just a taste of garlic, some leaves of

celery or parsley, a pinch of dry mushrooms, softened in water, a crumb

of bread and a pinch of pepper, but no salt.

First chop the ham, then grind everything together and with the hash

fill the artichokes, and put them to cook standing on their stalks in a

saucepan with some oil, salt and pepper. Some prefer to give the

artichokes a half cooking in water before stuffing it, but it is hardly

advisable, because in this way they lose part of their special flavor.