Name: Artichokes "Carciofi alla Romana"
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 4 Artichokes (cleaned ); 1 clove Garlic (finely cut); 1 handfull Parsley (finely cut); some leaves Mint (finely cut); 1/4 glass extra virgin olive oil; salt; pepper; water

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Eggplant Parmigiana

"Pampering for mouth and soul"

Some of you already did a cooking class with us and have discovered that almost all Italian recipes need few ingredients. Most of you were surprised especially for those recipes that seemed so elaborate. And some they really are, in the way to prepare it, but the amount of ingredients is always few. Eggplant Parmigiana is the perfect recipe to explain our style in the kitchen. Definitely is not a light meal but following a few tips, it might make it lighter. First, when you fry the eggplant, even if you are the king of frying, they will be oily anyway. So, you won’t need to add any additional oil in the tomato sauce. This helps. Second, even if the original recipe wants fried vegetable, you can switch to cooking them in the oven, cut long or across, sprinkling the eggplant with extra virgin olive oil and cook them with high temperature until they turn golden (as picture below). It is a great alternative and the taste does not lose quality.

Tips Sometimes tomato is very sweet, sometimes could be sour. Even for the canned ones. There are two ingredients that helps: milk or sugar. Depending on your recipe you can add one of these two ingredients, in small quantity, to get a milder tomato sauce. Milk is perfect in a meat tomato sauce, as the ragù: in addition to regulating acidity, makes the sauce creamy and the meat tender. Sugar make the sauce sweeter so less acid: add little by little during the cooking time and taste it until you get the taste you prefer.

Mozzarella Cheese or Buffalo Mozzarella?

I know, the Buffalo Mozzarella is the one! Who would choose the classic one instead of the buffalo’s? So milky and juicy, so tender, you can bite it as a ripe peach and the milk will drip down to your chin. It is more fat and tastier than Mozzarella Cheese. Is unique! Buffalo Mozzarella is unparalleled!

Unfortunately, I must say that though, for some recipes, Buffalo Mozzarella doesn’t work. Especially for recipes in which mozzarella is cooked and not raw. During cooking it releases a lot of milk (liquid), often causing a too soft and wet consistency of the ingredients.

So, Mozzarella Cheese (Fior di latte) is more fitting if it’s involved in recipes in which it will be cooked, generally in oven. It is made just with cow milk, it’s harder and milder in taste compared to the Buffalo’s, is bright white, polish. Is always better leave the mozzarella cut in shape, to drain milk, before adding it in the recipe.

Tips if you make pizza add the mozzarella halfway through cooking, in this way the pasta will remain crunchy and the mozzarella will not dry out too much.

Artichokes "Carciofi alla Romana"

The way we do in Rome

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Cuisine artichokes, carciofi alla Romana, Italian side dish, traditional roman recipe, vegetarian dish

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

4 Artichokes cleaned
1 clove Garlic finely cut
1 handfull Parsley finely cut
some leaves Mint finely cut
1/4 glass extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
water

Instructions

Finely cut Parsley, garlic and Mint. Season with salt and pepper.
Press artichokes upside down to open petals and season with the herbs and garlic.
In a pot pour the artichokes upside down (they have to stay close together), add the oil and water, until the base of stems. Cover and cook on medium low heat for 30 minutes.

Keyword artichokes, Italian vegetables

Other suggestions you can make Parmigiana with others ingredients, as courgettes or artichoke.

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Eggplant Parmigiana