Small Artichokes (Carciofo Violetto)

Posted on by Michiel and Jeen

The season of artichokes depends on the variety and where you are based. In Italy it’s from mid-winter until early spring, in other countries from March to June, or September and October.
An artichoke should feel heavy, look fresh and the leaves should be closed. If the leaves are wide open, the artichoke is older and it could be dry with lots of choke (the hairs) and dry inner leaves.
The artichokes we use in this recipe are special. Not only are they vibrant purple, they are also small with hardly any choke. In Italy they are called Carciofo Violetto. Tasty as you would expect from an artichoke and easy to eat because the texture of the leaves is not stringy.

Wine Pairing

It’s not straightforward to pair artichokes with wine. According to various researchers this is due to cynarin, a chemical especially found in the leaves of the artichoke. When the wine and the cynarin meet in your mouth, the natural sweetness of the wine is enhanced, making it taste too sweet. Pair artichokes with a bone-dry, crisp, unoaked white wine with clear, present acidity. For instance, Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner or Albariño.
The Carciofo Violetto artichoke in combination with the olive oil, Parmesan cheese and browned garlic (bitter, nutty) is less demanding when it comes to wine. We enjoyed it with a nice glass of Côtes de Provence rosé.

What You Need
  • Small purple Artichokes
  • Olive Oil
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic
  • Parmesan Cheese
What You Do

Preheat your oven to 180 °C or 355 °F. Cook the artichokes for 5 minutes in boiling water. Allow to cool and remove the outer leaves. Be generous, it’s better to remove too many! Halve the artichokes and place them in a shallow oven dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Transfer to the oven for 5 minutes. In the meantime, grate Parmesan cheese, chop the garlic and mix. Spread the mixture on top of the artichokes. Wait for the cheese and the garlic to colour, perhaps 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

PS

Other recipes with artichokes you may like:

Small Artichokes (Carciofo Violetto) ©cadwu
Small Artichokes (Carciofo Violetto) with Parmesan and Garlic ©cadwu

19 thoughts on “Small Artichokes (Carciofo Violetto)”

  5. Aha! Finally a big chance to toot my own horn when it comes to wine and artichokes. I know it does not get rave reviews but the Frascati wine I promise you pairs absolutely super duper with carciofi (artichokes) – in fact I think it’s the best – but then I am from Frascati (half of me) and have worked with wineries around here and am testament to the huge improvements made in the last 20 years to this desiginated DOC wine. I am happy to say that it has gone up considerably in wine ratings these past few years. Try the “Casale Marchese” for instance.

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    Reply

    1. Thank you for suggesting a Frascati wine. Actually, we used to drink Frascati Superiore Santa Teresa on a regular basis, but unfortunately the wine shop where we bought the wine closed a few years ago. Will however look for a Frascati wine and perhaps mention it in one of our next posts.

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