Jamie Oliver’s Jewish Artichokes Stuffed with Meat and Herbs, Fried and Braised in Tomato Sauce
Hearty and comforting with a rich tomato sauce that works perfectly with pasta, this recipe for stuffed Jewish Artichokes, as seen on Jamie Cooks Italy, is a delicious winter warmer.
From the book
Jamie Cooks Italy
Classic Italian favourites
All the enticing recipes from the TV series
Mouth-watering authentic Italian dishes to discover
Introduction
I really want to keep this recipe from Nonna Elena, the last Jewish nonna in Pitigliano, alive. It can be
enjoyed as an antipasto or secondo, or even served with pasta. I’ve stayed true to the method she shared with me, including an interesting backwards tomato sauce – you boil tomatoes and drop in raw veg to cook!
Ingredients
| 2 x 400g | tins of quality plum tomatoes |
| 1 | onion |
| 1 | clove of garlic |
| 1 | stick of celery |
| ½ a bunch (15g) | of fresh basil |
| ½ a bunch (15g) | fresh flat-leaf parsley |
| 6 | Italian violet artichokes |
| 2 | lemons, for artichoke prep |
| 200g | plain flour |
| 4 | large eggs |
| 400g | lean minced beef |
| 1 pinch | of dried red chilli flakes |
| vegetable oil, for frying |
Method
Put a casserole pan that will snugly fit the artichokes later on a mediumhigh heat. Scrunch in the tomatoes through your clean hands, then pour in 2 tins’ worth of water. Peel and finely chop the onion, garlic and celery. Finely chop half the basil leaves and half the parsley (stalks and all). Stir it all into the pan, simmer for 30 minutes to thicken and reduce the sauce, then taste and season to perfection.
Meanwhile, prep the artichokes (see page 382), then quarter each one lengthways, dropping the pieces back into the lemon water. Put the flour into a shallow bowl, and beat 2 eggs in another shallow bowl. Place the mince in a bowl with the chilli flakes and a good pinch of sea salt, and crack in the remaining 2 eggs. Finely chop the remaining basil leaves and parsley, add to the bowl, then scrunch and mix together, and divide into eight. Take one piece, then press and hug 3 artichoke quarters together around it, packing and squeezing it back into its original shape. Roll it in the flour, dunk it in the beaten egg, letting any excess drip off, then pop on a tray ready to fry. Repeat until you have 8 re-formed artichokes.
Meanwhile, pour 5cm of vegetable oil into a large, sturdy, deep-sided pan on a high heat. Get it to 160ºC on a thermometer, then gently lower all 8 artichokes into the oil – they’ll pack it out. Fry for 10 minutes, or until golden, then use a slotted spoon to lift them into the sauce. Reduce to a medium-low heat, simmer for 10 minutes, turning halfway, then serve.
CALORIES 686kcal FAT 37.7g SAT FAT 8.5g PROTEIN 38.9g CARBS 53g SUGAR 12.4g SALT 1g FIBRE 4.1g.
