Food Recipes Side Dishes Vegetable Side Dishes Carciofi alla Giudia (Jewish-Style Fried Artichokes) 5.0 (1) 1 Review This efficient method for trimming artichokes and deep-frying them transforms them into a gorgeous, golden brown, crispy snack. By Leah Koenig Leah Koenig New York-based food writer and recipe developer Leah Koenig is the author of six highly regarded cookbooks, including The Jewish Cookbook (2019) and Modern Jewish Cooking. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Food52, Epicurious, The Kitchen, Saveur, Tablet, TASTE, and others. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 20, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Total Time: 55 mins Servings: 6 servings Artichokes are personal in Rome. The city’s residents generally agree that the locally grown variety called carciofo Romanesco — a globe-shaped, vibrant, purple- and green-tinged thistle that comes into season between late February and early April — is superior to all others. But nearly everything else about artichokes, including the right way to cook them, is up for spirited debate. At the heart of Rome’s artichoke obsession are carciofi alla giudia, artichokes that are deep-fried until custard-soft inside with leaves as crisp as potato chips. While not as widely known as pasta alla carbonara or cacio e pepe, the golden blossoms are considered one of the city’s greatest culinary achievements, and for good reason. Dressed with nothing more than a shower of salt and a squeeze of lemon, they are incomparably delicious. The Best Artichoke Recipes From Classically Baked to Easy Dips The dish’s name, which translates to “Jewish-style artichokes,” points to its provenance in Rome’s 2,000-year- old Jewish community. Italians’ love for artichokes first took hold in medieval Sicily, when Moorish traders introduced them to the region. Sicily’s Jewish community embraced them so heartily that they became known (with ample derision) as “the Jewish vegetable.” Today, fried artichokes can be found at virtually every restaurant lining the cobblestone streets of Rome’s historic Jewish ghetto, and they are a staple on many of the city’s non-Jewish restaurant menus. Whenever I visit Rome, I make a beeline to Casalino Osteria Kosher to worship at the altar of their carciofi alla giudia. And when I can’t make it to Rome, I make the city’s iconic fried artichokes at home. The process of trimming away the leaves and woody outer stem and waiting for the oil to heat up enough to work its magic takes a bit of practice and patience. But the reward—a glistening, golden bite of heaven — is more than worth the effort. Enjoy more recipes like this in Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen by Leah Koenig, from W. W. Norton, releasing fall 2023. Ingredients 8 cups water 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons) 6 medium-size (8-ounce) fresh artichokes Lemon wedges (from 2 lemons), for rubbing and serving Light olive oil, vegetable oil (such as sunflower or grapeseed), or extra-virgin olive oil, for deep-frying 1 teaspoon kosher salt Directions Pull off and discard the outer leaves Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Combine 8 cups water and lemon juice in a large bowl; set aside. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, pull off and discard tough, dark green outer leaves from artichokes until you expose the tender, lighter-colored inner leaves. Trim the top Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Using a paring knife or a serrated knife, cut artichoke crosswise about 1 1/2 inches up from where the bottom of the leaves meets the stem; discard removed artichoke top, and generously rub exposed cut areas of artichoke with lemon. (The artichoke should look like a closed flower.) Remove the woody outer layers Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Using a peeler or paring knife, gently trim away woody outer layer from artichoke stem and thicker bright green parts at base of artichoke using a peeler or paring knife; rub exposed areas with more lemon to prevent browning. Trim off all but about 1/2 inch of stem. Remove the choke Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Using your fingers, gently open leaves in center to expose the hairy fibers. Using a melon baller or a sturdy spoon (a serrated grapefruit spoon works particularly well), scoop out and discard any hairy choke in center of artichoke. Place cleaned artichoke in bowl with lemon water. Repeat process with remaining artichokes. Dry and fry the artichokes Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Line a large plate with paper towels; set aside. Pour oil to a depth of about 2 1/2 inches in a medium Dutch oven; heat over medium until oil reaches 280°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in 2 batches if needed, remove artichokes from lemon water, and pat dry. Add artichokes to hot oil; cook, turning occasionally, until hearts are tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes per batch. Artichokes will start to turn golden brown, and petals will open up slightly and begin to curl and brown. Using a spider strainer, tongs, or a slotted spoon, carefully transfer artichokes to prepared large plate. Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Remove Dutch oven from heat; do not discard oil. Fry again until crispy Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Gently pull open each artichoke to expose the center. (It should resemble a flower.) If any of the artichokes still have hairy chokes in the center, use a melon baller or sturdy spoon to carefully remove and discard them. Return Dutch oven to heat over medium-high, and heat oil to 350°F. Working in batches if needed, add fried artichokes, cut side up, to hot oil; cook, turning occasionally, until browned and very crispy, 1 minute and 30 seconds to 3 minutes per batch. Return to large plate to drain. Season and serve Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Sprinkle artichokes evenly with salt. Serve immediately alongside lemon wedges. Note Many recipes for carciofi alla giudia call for cooking the artichoke in extra-virgin olive oil during a two-step frying process, but Koenig prefers to use light olive oil, which is refined enough to handle the high heat but still imparts a touch of olive flavor. A neutral oil, like sunflower or grapeseed, works well, too. The curved blade of a bird’s beak paring knife is perfect for peeling off the woody layer on the artichoke stems, but any sharp paring knife will work. Rate It Print