Roman-Style Artichokes: the simple side dish recipe for making carciofi alla romana

Looking for a quintessential Italian side dish? These Roman-style artichokes are also known as carciofi alla romana—it’s a well-known, easy Italian side dish made with a handful of humble ingredients: cimarole artichokes (also called mammole), wine, olive oil, garlic, and herbs like mint and parsley.

The artichokes are delicate and slightly nutty, and they’re tender on the inside. Make sure to use the right type of globe artichokes (they're called in this way in English), they should be round in shape and have non-thorny leaves.

The artichokes are served upside-down, making them great for presentation – some might say they make a good dinner table centerpiece.

Roman-Style Artichoke Ingredients

Artichokes – make sure to choose round cimarole or the so called globe artichokes. While artichokes are native to the Mediterranean, they can be found in supermarkets the world over. The largest producers of artichokes are Italy, France, and Spain, while in the US, California produces almost all the artichokes in the country. Artichoke season runs from March to May, so you might find the best quality artichokes at this time.

Breadcrumbs – this creates texture in the filling; use store-bought or make your own.

Herbs – parsley and mint are used in this recipe, but feel free to add freshly chopped oregano instead of parsley.

Olive oil – use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.

Wine – dry white wine will work best.

Garlic – use fresh garlic cloves.

How To Make Roman-Style Artichokes

Prepare the artichokes by cleaning them first and removing the outer leaves. Mix the filling by combining the bread crumbs, mint, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper, oil, and wine

Use a spoon to carefully fill the artichokes with the mixture. Place the filled artichokes in a pot, top with olive oil and white wine, and cook.

How To Eat Roman-Style Artichokes

Serve the Roman-style artichokes warm, as a side to roast chicken or beef, with a drizzle of olive oil.

You can also chop up leftovers and serve them with pasta.

Tips

As you prepare and clean the artichokes, make sure to place them in water, to prevent them from turning brown.

You can also fry them for extra flavor.

It’s important to trim the artichokes properly. Remove the outer leaves, and remove the furry outer parts. Just note that the artichokes may discolor your hands so you can wear gloves, or you can rub your hands with a bit of lemon juice.

If you want a spicier, feel free to add red pepper flakes.

How To Store Roman-Style Artichokes

The Roman-style artichokes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Instructions

Clean artichokes. Drop them in the water.

Chop the herbs finely.

In a bowl, mix bread crumbs, mint, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper, oil, and wine.

Fill the artichokes with the mixture.

Don't overfill artichokes.

Place the artichokes in a cooking pot.

Add the oil, wine and water. Cook on low heat for about 20-30 minutes or until tender.

Serve and enjoy!