Our family has a private website where we share our DeRosa family history amongst many other things. One of the exciting pages we have is called, The Family Table where we're going to share family recipes, stories, advice + more so that the future generation of DeRosa children have a place to virtually commune together + stay connected with one another in this crazy digital world. Without further ado, below is the first recipe in a series that I'm going to share aptly titled, DeRosa Family Recipes. I thought it was fitting to begin the series with the first course.
Insalata di Carciofi
(Artichoke Salad)
You’ll commonly find this 'insalata di carciofi' on Tuscan trattoria menus during artichoke season as an antipasto but it’s also a great one to do at home – despite having to prep artichokes, this is a very simple + very quick salad that goes with everything from fish to meat to being a meal on its own (perhaps with a heavy ball of burrata and crusty bread).
First choose good artichokes. The ones most commonly used in Tuscany for eating raw are smallish, pointed dark
purple ones. Since you’re eating these raw + artichokes can have a rather astringent quality to them, you want lovely young + tender artichokes rather than older + tough ones that do better when cooked. A good sprinkling of your best salt + some shavings of proper Parmesan cheese are an excellent foil to counter that astringency. Finally, some tart lemon juice + a rather peppery olive oil round things off nicely.
Ingredients
4-5 Artichokes (medium size)
1 Lemon
Salt + Pepper (to taste)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for serving) - use my Primal Kitchen 10% OFF coupon code at checkout: DEROSA10
Parmesan Cheese shavings (1 handful) - (we love the Violife brand)
Directions
1. Fill a large bowl with cold water + squeeze the juice of half a lemon into it, set aside the other half for the dressing.
2. Prepare the artichokes by peeling the tough outer leaves off one by one, from the bottom going around + up until you reach very pale-coloured, tender leaves. Cut the stalk to about 1 inch long + then trim the bottom + stalk. Rub the cut parts with the lemon half as you go. Cut the top pointed half of the artichoke off completely then place the artichokes in the lemon water until you have trimmed all the artichokes this way.
3. One by one, slice the artichoke in half vertically. If there is a fluffy/thistle-like choke, remove it with a teaspoon (or a grapefruit spoon). Thinly slice the artichoke half + immediately place the artichoke slices in the lemon water. Continue with the rest of the artichokes.
4. Drain the artichoke slices well (pat dry with kitchen paper if necessary). Place in a large bowl + dress with the rest of the lemon juice from the lemon half, a few tablespoons of olive oil, a good pinch of sea salt + a grinding of black pepper. Scatter with Parmesan shavings + serve!
#salad #vegetable #artichoke #fiveingredients #spring #winter #vegetarian #sidedish #italian #italiandish #italiandishes #tuscan #tuscany
