• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • Media
  • Recipe Index
    • Recipes by Category
    • Cultural Recipe Index
  • Podcast
  • Contact
  • The Little Ferraro Kitchen
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
The Little Ferraro Kitchen

The Little Ferraro Kitchen

World Cuisine, Made Easy

  • Tandoori-Style Chicken Burgers

    A simple recipe for today. It's Monday and this is usually my busiest day...but only…

  • Roasted Kabocha Squash with Coconut Oil and Fried Sage

    This dish was inspired to our most recent trip to Mozza Pizzeria. It's Mario Batali's…

  • Local Style Ahi Poke

    Happy Aloha Friday! As I looked back on the recipes I've shared, I can't believe…

  • Fried Zucchini Pancakes

    As I am writing this, I am oh so patiently waiting at the Ft Lauderdale…

  • Perfect Fried Green Tomatoes

    And I'm not kidding...these are perfect. The first time I ever ever made these and…

Home » Roman Style Fried Artichokes

Roman Style Fried Artichokes

by Samantha · 2 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Roman style fried artichokes recipe inspired by the infamous fried artichokes in the Jewish Ghetto in Rome. Baby artichokes are gently fried in olive oil and seasoned simply with sea salt and lemon juice.

Roman style fried artichokes. Crispy baby fried artichokes fried in olive oil served with flakey salt and lemon juice. #FriedArtichokes #RomanFriedArtichokes

Oh if I still had the photo from our trip to Rome. One of the first places we had to go to was the Jewish Ghetto. A small village outside of the hustle of tourists.

On the agenda were their infamous Roman style or Jewish style fried artichokes and in Italian, called carciofi alla giudia, a recipe I am sure dating back to the 16th century! The only picture I have is in my memory.

A man sitting in front of the restaurant we had lunch at on a wickery wooden chair with piles of artichoke leaves around him. He was peeling the leaves off of, what looked like thousands of artichokes (I don’t think it was..but you never know!) and prepping them with confidence and speed. I will never forget that moment.  Nothing will compare to that experience, but here is my simple take on that moment.

Roman Jewish style fried artichokes with flaky salt and lemon. #friedartichokes #Romanartichokes

How do you make carciofi alla giudia aka Roman fried artichokes?

Baby artichokes are used in this recipe but feel free to do the same for regular size artichokes, you would need to peel and cook a bit longer.

The big takeaway with these Roman fried artichokes is that the artichokes are fried in olive oil. Not common to fry in such a delicate oil, but when in Rome…. well, you know the saying.

Begin by peeling the outside leaves until you are left with the tender center, it will almost look like the shape of an endive. Cut in half and soak in lemon water to stop any browning. Then fry the artichokes in oil.

Baby artichokes are fried gently in olive oil until crisp and then seasoned simply with sea salt and lemon juice.

Once you make these Roman style fried artichokes, you will understand the fasination with them. Simple recipe made with the best ingredients. The olive oil doesn’t make these fried artichokes heavy in any way, but gives off a beautiful floral note that other oils just can’t offer.

Roman style fried artichokes. Crispy baby fried artichokes fried in olive oil served with flakey salt and lemon juice. #FriedArtichokes #RomanFriedArtichokes
Print Recipe
0 from 0 votes

Roman Style Fried Artichokes

Roman style fried artichokes recipe inspired by the infamous fried artichokes in the Jewish Ghetto in Rome. Artichokes gently fried in olive oil and seasoned simply with sea salt and lemon juice.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian, Jewish
Keyword: carciofi alla giudia, Jewish fried artichokes, Roman style fried artichokes
Calories: 615kcal
Author: Samantha Ferraro

Ingredients

  • Medium-large bowl filled with water
  • 1 lemon cut in half and squeezed + more for garnish
  • 1 pound baby artichokes
  • 2 cups olive oil or enough to have 3 inches of oil
  • Sea salt for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Begin by cleaning the artichokes by removing all the tough outer leaves and until you reach the tender and tight forming center.
  • Cut artichokes in half and place in bowl of water, squeezed with lemon juice and leave the lemon halves in the water. This will help slow down the browning.
  • Heat a medium sized pot with olive oil until it reaches about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I also test it with a small piece of leaf and if it sizzles right away, it's ready.
  • Drain artichokes and put them dry as best as you can. Add about half the artichokes to the oil and fry for about 10 minutes, until the outsides are crisp. Do this in several bathes.
  • Once done, use a slotted spoon to remove the artichokes and drain on a paper towel. Season immediately with sea salt and serve with fresh lemon juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 570mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 27g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 4050IU | Vitamin C: 66.3mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 8.2mg

Looking for more uses to cook with olive oil? Try my olive oil braised chicken with citrus and fennel or grilled grapes with tarragon and olive oil.

Share134
Pin210
Tweet
Email
344Shares

This post may contain amazon affiliate links which means if you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I will receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Filed Under: Italian Recipes, Jewish Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: appetizer

Weeknight Mediterranean Shopping List

Subscribe to get the Mediterranean shopping list and to be the 1st to get brand new recipes!

Previous Post: « Julia Child’s Lobster Thermidor Recipe
Next Post: Salmon Curry with Lemongrass and Galangal »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Anique says

    September 5, 2019 at 5:27 pm

    Hi. I had olive oil fried artichokes in Malaga, Spain in June 2017, I can almost tell you the day cause I remember I much I loved them. They were sliced upwards, almost shaved. It was amazing. I will try your recipe on my souvenir plate. And, I have been to the Jewish neighbourhood while in Rome, I was staying close by. I still own the boots I bought that day, almost 15 years ago…

    Reply
    • Samantha says

      September 6, 2019 at 6:33 pm

      Oh wow what a fabulous story..thank you so much for sharing!! Yes, I can still remember the artichokes in the neighborhood as well but sadly cant find any photos!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Samantha!

I started this blog for my love of world cuisine and cultural flavors! You’ll find everything here from Jewish recipes, Middle Eastern, Italian and more!

Read More

Order My Cookbook!

The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen

Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from IndieBound
The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen
Buy now!

Weeknight Mediterranean Shopping List

Subscribe to get the Mediterranean shopping list and to be the 1st to get brand new recipes!

The Little Ferraro Kitchen
*Chicken Saltimbocca with Speck and Herbes de Prov *Chicken Saltimbocca with Speck and Herbes de Provence*⁠
⁠
Boy oh boy, do I have a weeknight chicken recipe for you!⁠
⁠
My version of saltimbocca takes a bit of French inspiration and in my (humble) opinion, has bolder flavors!. ⁠
⁠
Pounded chicken cutlets are seasoned with aromatic herbes de Provence and layered with basil and smoky speck, seared and finished in a light white wine sauce.⁠
⁠
Saltimbocca translates to 'jump in the mouth', which is exactly what these flavors will do. ⁠
⁠
**Recipe is live on the site, head to the link in my bio and click on the photo for the recipe!**⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
*Homemade Preserved Lemons*⁠ ⁠ New on the site *Homemade Preserved Lemons*⁠
⁠
New on the site, is a step by step guide on making your own homemade preserved lemons with some recipe inspiration and tips.⁠
⁠
There is nothing like the aroma of preserved lemons. Citrusy, bright and floral.⁠
⁠
You just need two ingredients and about two weeks time. Then chop or slice up to use in so many things, such as tagine or preserved lemon compound butter for fish.  How good does that sound?⁠
⁠
How would you use preserved lemons?⁠
⁠
(For the recipe + tips, head to the link in my bio and click on the photo!)
*Herb and Citrus Roasted Salmon*⁠ ⁠ Oh hello t *Herb and Citrus Roasted Salmon*⁠
⁠
Oh hello there citrus season! Sure, you could take winters sunshine and bake it into a cake or curd, but there is something about citrus + salmon that never goes out of style. ⁠
⁠
Wild salmon filets are packed with a fresh herb "crust" and poached in a bright white wine lemon and olive oil marinade. ⁠
⁠
I've made this recipe with so many different variations...different herbs or with blood orange would be fantastic! ⁠
⁠
What would you make this citrus season?⁠
.⁠
.⁠
(For the citrus salmon recipe, head to the link in my bio and click on the photo!)⁠
⁠
*Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine*⁠ ⁠ What is *Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine*⁠
⁠
What is your favorite method of cooking? If I was left to one, it would be braised. ⁠
⁠
A good hard sear, then low and slow (preferably in red wine) for hours until the tough muscle fibers are forced to break down, soften and literally melt in your mouth. ⁠
⁠
A few herbs, some aromatics and then just let the braise do the rest of the work. ⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
(Head to the link in my bio and click on the photo to get this classic recipe!)
*Four Ingredient Lemon Herb Couscous*⁠ ⁠ Today *Four Ingredient Lemon Herb Couscous*⁠
⁠
Today, we're chatting about "back pocket recipes" as I'd like to call it. ⁠
⁠
Recipes that we all should know and can whip out at a moments notice. A few of mine are: creamy polenta, a bomb roast chicken and classic spaghetti and meatballs. ⁠
⁠
The other day, I shared my chicken tagine recipe and this simple lemon herb couscous would the perfect companion to those bold flavors. ⁠
⁠
What are you "back pocket recipes?"⁠
.⁠
.⁠
(Head to the link in my bio and click on the photo for the recipe, but really...just remember the 1:1.25 ratio and you're set!)
* Turkish Lentil Soup with Mint and Lemon*⁠ ⁠ * Turkish Lentil Soup with Mint and Lemon*⁠
⁠
When I think of Mediterranean cuisine, one of the first recipes that pops in my head is this robust lentil soup. ⁠
⁠
We were first introduced to this lentil soup in Istanbul and since, I have bright it to my  cooking classes, my site and in my book because everyone needs to experience how fantastic Turkish lentil soup is.⁠
⁠
Vegan and full of hearty grains such as rice, quinoa and lentils and flavored with smokey paprika and finished with fresh mint and bright lemon. This is what Mediterranean cooking is all about...bold, fresh flavors!⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
For the full recipe, head to the link in my bio and click on the photo!
*Weeknight Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons an *Weeknight Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives*⁠
⁠
When someone asked me why I don't have more Moroccan recipes on my site and in my book, well, they were right. It's not a cuisine I grew up with, yet a lot of the flavors are very similar. ⁠
⁠
I took inspiration from the classic flavors of tagine and gave my own twist on it. ⁠
⁠
Chicken is marinated in an intense spice rub with saffron, preserved lemon and spices before being seared for that crispy chicken skin. Then simmer along with aromatics, sweet and tart apricots, buttery olives and more preserved lemon. ⁠
⁠
Have you made chicken tagine? What is your twist on it?⁠
.⁠
.⁠
(For the full recipe, head to the link in my bio and click on the photo!)

Copyright © 2021 · Samantha Ferraro · Little Ferraro Kitchen · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy