Family Abruzzo Recipes: Carciofi Ripieni – Stuffed Artichokes
Recipe Type: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: This recipe is for 10 artichokes which would serve up to 4 people for a main dish (2 each) or as an entree (1 per person)
Story behind the recipe: Elisabetta is the daughter of Giuseppina and Luigi D’Annunzio. The third eldest in a group of 10 siblings (6 females, 4 males), who lived in Vasto, Abruzzo, Italia in the first half of the century. Here they grew fruit and vegetables, bought fresh fish daily and learned to be fabulous cooks, always using the home grown produce around them. Elisabetta married Pasquale Del Casale in 1953 and a year later migrated to the great southern land, Australia bringing with them their language, culture and of course recipes.
They lived in Griffith, New South Wales for 10 years and then moved to Perth, Western Australia as part of a family reunion plan. Seven of the siblings now live here. 
My childhood memories are full of large family gatherings (with my two brothers and at least 100 other people including some of my 30 first cousins!) with lots of food, fun and laughter. Thank you to my mother and her mother (my grandmother), who held these recipes close to their heart by continuing to prepare and enhance them.
My childhood memories are full of large family gatherings (with my two brothers and at least 100 other people including some of my 30 first cousins!) with lots of food, fun and laughter. Thank you to my mother and her mother (my grandmother), who held these recipes close to their heart by continuing to prepare and enhance them.Ingredients
- 10 medium artichokes
- 3 cloves
- 3/4 cup parsley
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (rather than overly dried bought ones)
- 2/3 cup of Romano or Parmesan cheese
- 3 eggs
- Pepper/salt
Instructions
To prepare the artichokes
- Cut off the leaves and stalk close to the base of the artichoke bulb.
- Remove a few outer petals which may be woodier.
- Cut through the tips of the artichoke to form a flat top.
- Turn the artichoke over and bang down onto a cutting board, this will loosen the petals. With your fingers, gently further spread the petals (without breaking them off). This makes room for the stuffing.
- Place the artichokes into a large bowl with the juice of 1 lemon in cold water. This will remove any bitterness.
To make the stuffing mixture
- Place the garlic, chopped parsley, fresh breadcrumbs, grated cheese and eggs into a bowl. Season to taste.
- Mix until a smooth texture is reached (soft but not too wet).
- To stuff the artichokes:
- Begin by placing mixture into the centre petals and then working outwards.
- Place the mixture into the gaps in the petals.
- You can stuff as many petals as you like (or have mixture for).
- You may have to split the mixture into enough portions for the number of artichokes you are cooking.
- The stuffing does swell so do not go overboard with the amount you use. A little in each petal is enough.
To cook
- Place enough olive oil into the bottom of a large oven proof pot or dish, add salt, place the stuffed artichokes gently into the base so that they all touch the bottom.
- Cook on a medium heat for 45 minutes (or when a fork easily pierces the petals).
- Then place them into a medium preheated over for a further 15-20 minutes (this can be done immediately or just before serving).
- Serve with salad and crusty bread.
Check out our website to discover our Cookery Holidays or Ancestry tour in Abruzzo. You’ll learn how to cook real traditional Italian plates in the friendly and relaxing Abruzzo. Subscribe on Italia Sweet Italia Youtube channel to keep updated on the new video recipes!
2 thoughts on “Family Abruzzo Recipes: Carciofi Ripieni – Stuffed Artichokes”
I’m looking for my grandmothers recipe for skrepelli. Don’t know if I’m spelling it correctly. It’s a fried dough they made on Christmas Eve.
Hi Frances,
I’m sorry to answer only now to your comment, but I’ve just found it among the spam, sometimes happens.
Many thanks for your interest in our recipes, you can find the recipe of scrippelle here: https://www.italiasweetitalia.com/cooking-with-mamma-anna-maria-scrippelle-a-traditional-christmas-dessert/
Ciao for now and enjoy it
Fabrizio