Matticella-style artichokes: an ancient recipe from the Castelli Romani area

• Preparation time: 20 minutes
• Cooking time: 30 minutes
• difficulty: Bassa

How to prepare artichokes alla matticella

Method artichokes alla matticella is millenary, particularly suitable for this period of the year in which they abound the artichokes And the season of picnics and garden barbecues has begun. Matticella-style artichokes are prepared directly on the embers and left to cook, releasing a unique aroma and lending the artichokes a delicate flavor. Here's how.

Farmers used to prepare this recipe in spring, when they cleared the vineyard of small branches and arranged them in bundles called "matticelle" that they then stored away for the winter, using them to start the fire in the fireplace. It was customary to grow at the beginning of each row of vines some artichokes just to prepare them with this recipe during the cleaning operations.

Nowadays, we don't always have firewood available, and we often use charcoal to prepare the barbecue, so we'll give you the recipe in two versions: with wood and with charcoal.

Ingredients for people 4

• 8 artichokes
• 4 cloves of garlic
• Roman mint (or parsley)
• Salt to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method

• Wash i artichokes and remove the outer leaves
• Cut the stem about 2 cm from the base
• Soak the artichokes in plenty of water with lemon juice
• Wait a couple of hours then rinse them thoroughly.
• Gently open the center of the artichokes trying to widen the natural cavity
• With garlic, mint and salt make a coarsely chopped and insert it inside the artichoke
• If you have a wood-fired ember, you can place the artichokes on it, leaving the top part protruding by about 2 cm.
• If you have a charcoal grill then wrap each artichoke in tin foil and place it under the grill.
• Finish cooking and then season with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

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