Carciofi alla Romana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Carciofi alla Romana

Carciofi alla Romana
Course	antipasto, contorno
Place of origin	Italy
Region or state	Lazio
Serving temperature	warm or room temperature
Main ingredients	artichokes, lesser calamint, parsley, garlic

Carciofi alla Romana (say it: kar-CHO-fee AH-lah roh-MAH-nah) means "Roman-style artichokes." It's a super famous dish from Rome, Italy. If you visit Rome in spring, you'll find this tasty dish in almost every home and restaurant! It's one of the most well-known ways Romans cook artichokes. Another popular artichoke dish from Rome is called Carciofi alla giudia, which is a deep-fried artichoke that came from the Jewish community in Rome.

How Carciofi alla Romana is Made

This special dish is usually made with a type of artichoke called Romanesco. These artichokes are picked between February and April. They grow in the coastal area northwest of Rome, near towns like Ladispoli and Civitavecchia.

To make Carciofi alla Romana, here are the steps:

• First, the artichokes are carefully cleaned. People use a sharp knife to remove all the tough outer leaves and any sharp thorns. They do this by moving the knife in a spiral, upwards.
• Only a small part of the stem is left on the artichoke. The rest of the stem is cleaned, cut into pieces, and cooked along with the artichokes.
• To stop the artichokes from turning brown, they are dipped in water with lemon juice for a few minutes.
• Next, the artichokes are opened up in the middle. Any fuzzy part inside, called the "choke" (which usually appears later in the growing season), is taken out.
• Into the space where the choke was, a special mix is stuffed. This mix includes parsley, a herb called lesser calamint (which Romans call mentuccia), and garlic. Salt and pepper are added for flavor.
• After stuffing, all the artichokes are placed upright in a deep pan. They are packed together tightly so they can stand up and not fall over.
• Water and olive oil are added to the pan. Some people also add a little white wine. More oil, salt, and pepper are sprinkled on top.
• Finally, the pan is covered, and the artichokes are gently cooked until all the liquid has evaporated.
• You can eat Carciofi alla Romana warm or at room temperature. It's delicious either way!