Carciofi Alla Giudia Recipe

Prepare acidulated water

In a large bowl, pour 1 liter cold water and stir in 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Squeeze the halved lemon into the water and drop the lemon halves in. This will prevent the artichokes from browning.

Trim the artichokes

Working with one artichoke at a time, remove and discard the tough outer leaves down to the paler, more tender inner leaves. Trim the stem flush with the base and remove the tough outer layer of the stem with a paring knife until tender. Cut about 1/2 inch off the top of the artichoke to remove thorny tips. Rub the exposed cut surfaces with the lemon half immediately and place the prepared artichoke in the acidulated water to keep it from oxidizing.

Open the artichoke (butterfly technique)

Holding the artichoke stem-side up, use your thumbs to press into the base and gently spread the leaves outward into a flower-like shape. If needed, run kitchen shears to trim the pointed tips of remaining inner leaves to reduce sharp edges. Repeat for all artichokes and keep them submerged in the acidulated water until ready to fry.

Heat the frying oil

Pour 1 liter vegetable oil into a wide, deep pot or high-sided skillet to a depth of about 3–4 cm. Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 175–180°C (350–360°F). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dipping the tip of an artichoke leaf: it should sizzle steadily but not smoke.

Drain and dry

Remove artichokes from the acidulated water and shake off excess. Pat them very dry with clean kitchen towels or paper towels — any surface water will cause splattering when frying and will prevent proper crisping.

Fry the artichokes

Working in batches (do not crowd the pan), gently lay each opened artichoke into the hot oil, stem-side down. The oil may bubble vigorously; use tongs or a slotted spoon to hold them down for the first 20–30 seconds so the inner leaves splay and begin to crisp. Fry for about 5–7 minutes per batch, gently turning once after the initial splay, until the leaves are golden brown and crisp and the base is tender. Adjust heat to maintain 170–180°C so they brown without burning.

Drain and season

Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried artichokes to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain for a minute. While still hot, sprinkle each artichoke with a little fine sea salt to taste and drizzle with about 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil per artichoke (total 2 tablespoons divided).

Serve

Serve the carciofi alla giudìa immediately while hot and crisp. They are traditionally eaten whole by pulling away the leaves and scraping the tender flesh with your teeth, finishing with the base (the heart).