Want to know the BEST way to enjoy an artichoke? It's the Roman Jewish way! Carciofi alla giudia, Roman-Jewish deep-fried artichokes, are easy to make and will become your new favorite totally addictive snack, perfect appetizer, or side dish!
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What is Carciofi Alla Giudia?
Carciofi alla giudia translates to "Jewish-style artichokes," and the dish has been a cornerstone of Roman Jewish cuisine since the 16th century. It originated in the Jewish Ghetto of Rome, and is one of the best known dishes in Roman Jewish cuisine.
This iconic recipe features a double-fry method. The first fry gently cooks the artichoke so that it softens, becomes tender, and the outer leaves start to brown and bloom.
The second fry happens at a higher temperature and does two things: it forces the tightly packed leaves to open and fan out, and it crisps every exposed surface until it shatters. The result is a dish that's equal parts vegetable and chip, with layers of texture that range from aggressively crunchy to melt-in-your-mouth tender. It's a masterclass in how temperature control and patience can completely transform an ingredient.
Intrigued? Please read on to find out what ingredients you will need to make this incredible dish!
🥘 Ingredients
You only need 4 simple ingredients to make these shatteringly crispy artichokes:
- Fresh artichokes - I used a fresh globe artichoke; these are the type commonly found in supermarkets in the United States where I am based - select an artichoke that feels heavy for its size and has tightly packed leaves
- Avocado oil - olive oil is the more traditional oil to use, but I love avocado oil for deep frying (it has a high smoke point, although we don't require that in this recipe); you could also use vegetable oil
- Sea salt - I used both flaky sea salt and regular sea salt as seasonings to be sprinkled on after frying
- Lemon - lemons will be used as both seasoning and as an agent to help prevent the avocado from oxidizing
🔪 Instructions
Prepare your lemon water bath by filling a medium sized bowl with some cold water. Squeeze in the juice of one of the lemons, then add the lemon halves (once squeezed) to the water as well.
PLEASE NOTE: you want just enough water to submerge the artichoke and not so much water that the lemon juice is very diluted.
Trim your artichokes by peeling away the tough outer leaves until you reach the more tender yellow/green leaves underneath, then you want to use a knife to remove as much of the green part as you can, leaving mostly only the tender yellow part of the artichoke.
Use a sharp knife to trim the stem (leave about 2 -3 inches attached), then use a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife to remove the fibrous outer layer of the stem.
The green outer part of the stem is fibrous. Remove that part to leave the pale tender part of the stem, as well as any hard green leaves with a sharp knife.
If you see any spiky tips left, be sure to slice off that part of the artichoke to remove them.
As you work, use one of the other lemon halves to rub over the artichoke to help prevent oxidation which turns the leaves brown to black. The artichoke starts to oxidize quickly, so be sure to work fast!
💭 Top tip
Be ruthless with your trimming! It may seem that you are "wasting" a lot of the artichoke leaves, but believe me you don't want the green leaves they will be tough and unpleasant to eat. Also, don't forget to rub the artichoke with the lemon to prevent oxidation.
Now that your artichoke is prepped, add it to the lemon water bath.
1st Fry
Heat the oil in your deep fryer to 250F (this is the 1st fry to make the artichoke tender).
Once the oil reaches this temperature, remove the artichoke from your lemon water bath and dry the artichoke removing excess moisture as completely as you can using paper towels.
Be sure to press down on it with the stem to the top which will also help to get rid of excess water inside the artichoke.
Lower the dried artichoke into the hot oil using a set of tongs. Fry the artichoke low and slow for about 15 minutes, turning the artichoke frequently using the tongs for even frying and best results.
During this time you should see the leaves start to brown.
PLEASE NOTE: Your artichoke doesn't have to be completely submerged under the oil, but be sure to turn it frequently so that it fries evenly.
After 15 minutes, remove the artichoke using the tongs and place upside down (stem is facing up) on paper towels or a wire rack, allowing the artichoke to drain and rest for about 10 minutes.
2nd Fry And Removing The Choke
During this time, raise the oil temperature to 350F for your 2nd fry which will crisp up the artichoke.
Gently use your hands (once the artichoke is cool) to pry open the leaves. At this point, use a spoon to scoop out the hairy and inedible choke.
This reveals the artichoke heart.
Prying open the leaves will also encourage the artichoke to bloom!
Carefully lower the artichoke back into the hotter oil using your tongs, and allow to fry and crisp for about 3 minutes or so, turning a few times or holding it under the oil for even coloring.
Remove the crispy artichoke from the hot oil and drain upside down on some fresh paper towels.
Suggestions For Serving
Season immediately with some sea salt and a generous squeeze of lemon juice from lemon wedges, and enjoy while hot!
Remove a petal and savor each golden shatteringly crispy bite! Be sure to enjoy the delicious stem and tender heart as well!
Enjoy these as a snack, or perhaps serve these as an easy appetizer alongside some marinated olives, or thinly sliced prosciutto.
Carciofi alla giudia also pairs well with a simple arugula salad dressed with lemon and good olive oil. The peppery greens and acid balance the fried richness without competing for attention.
An Italian white wine such as Pinot Grigio or an Italian Negroni cocktail would be the perfect drink accompaniment.
I hope this will become one of your favorite artichoke recipes!
Please see below for a printable recipe card!
Buon appetito!
FAQ
Serve fried artichokes the Italian way, with simply seasoning with salt and squeezing lemon juice over it. That's all you need!
Most likely these leaves should have been removed during the prepping process. During prep, any leaves with dark green color should be ruthlessly discarded, leaving only pale colored leaves for frying. It could also be that the oil during the 2nd fry was not hot enough.
Some Other Recipes You Will Enjoy!
Love Italian food? Then you'll want to try these recipes:
- Italian Broccoli Recipe With Garlic and Lemon
- Easy and Elegant White Asparagus Side Dish Recipe
- Italian Peas and Ham Frozen Peas Recipe
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Cheers!
Grace
Fried Artichoke Recipe: Crispy Roman Perfection
Equipment
- 1 Deep Fat Fryer you can also use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven but a deep fat fryer makes frying so much easier
- deep fry or candy thermometer you'll need this if you aren't using a deep fat fryer
- pair of tongs
- Medium bowl
- sharp knife
- sharp paring knife to remove the fibrous part of the stem and any remaining hard green leaves at the base of the artichoke
- paper towels or wire rack for draining the artichoke of oil
Ingredients
- 1 artichoke I used a large globe artichoke with stem attached
- 2 lemons 1 will be used for lemon water bath, ½ for rubbing the artichoke, and ½ for serving
- 1.5 liter frying oil olive oil is most traditional, but I used avocado oil with great results; you could also sub vegetable oil
- sea salt or flaky sea salt (or both) for seasoning
Instructions
- Prepare your lemon water bath by filling a medium sized bowl with some cold water. Squeeze in the juice of one of the lemons, then add the lemon halves (once squeezed) to the water as well. PLEASE NOTE: you want just enough water to submerge the artichoke and not so much water that the lemon juice is very diluted.
- Trim your artichokes by peeling away the tough outer leaves until you reach the more tender yellow/green leaves underneath, then you want to use a knife to remove as much of the green part as you can, leaving mostly only the tender yellow part of the artichoke. Use a sharp knife to trim the stem (leave about 2 -3 inches attached), then use a sharp paring knife to remove the fibrous outer layer of the stem. If you see any spiky tips left, be sure to slice off that part of the artichoke to remove them. As you work, use one of the other lemon halves to rub over the artichoke to help prevent oxidation which turns the leaves brown to black. The artichoke starts to oxidize quickly, so be sure to work fast!
- Now that your artichoke is prepped, add it to the lemon water bath.
- Heat the oil in your deep fat fryer to 250F (this is the 1st fry to make the artichoke tender). Once the oil reaches this temperature, remove the artichoke from your lemon water bath and dry the artichoke as completely as you can using paper towels. Be sure to press down on it with the stem to the top which will also help to get rid of excess water inside the artichoke. Lower the dried artichoke into the hot oil using a set of tongs. Fry the artichoke low and slow for about 15 minutes, turning the artichoke frequently using the tongs for even frying and best results. During this time you should see the leaves start to brown.
- After 15 minutes, remove the artichoke using the tongs and place upside down (stem is facing up) on paper towels or a wire rack, allowing the artichoke to drain and rest for about 10 minutes.
- During this time, raise the temperature of the oil to 350F for your 2nd fry which will crisp up the artichoke. Gently use your hands (once the artichoke is cool) to pry open the leaves. At this point, use a spoon to scoop out the hairy and inedible choke. Carefully lower the artichoke back into the hotter oil using your tongs, and allow to fry and crisp for about 3 minutes or so, turning a few times or holding under the oil for even coloring.
- Remove the crispy artichoke from the hot oil and drain upside down on some fresh paper towels. Season immediately with some sea salt and a generous squeeze of lemon juice from lemon wedges, and enjoy while hot! Be sure to enjoy the delicious stem and tender heart as well!
Grace
Not only is this recipe fun to eat, it's super fun to make! I love watching the artichoke bloom and can't believe how crispy it is!