Roman Jewish Fried Artichokes aka Carciofi Alla Giudia
I heart these Roman Jewish Fried Artichokes! Get it? Like artichoke hearts? Okkkay. Anyway, don’t be intimidated by cooking up artichokes, it’s easier than you think.
Long time no new recipe! I haven’t been slacking, I swear. We moved from Puerto Rico back to the Bay Area, plus things have been CRAZY over on my store ModernTribe! Total meshugenah, I tell ya.
So how is it living in NorCal after three years on a tropical island? I’m glad you asked! A little bit of culture shock, but we are getting used to it. Eating our weight in delicious sushi and playing floating beer pong in our new pool has helped ease us in! We are now in the burbs, so it’s definitely quieter than the beachside city life. And a lot less Bad Bunny coming out of passing cars. More leggings and Golden Goose, and fewer thong bikinis. And things close pretty early- we had a hard time finding somewhere to grab dinner at 9pm! But on the other hand, we can get pretty much anything delivered instantly, everything here is perfectly manicured, and the access to local produce is insane!
I can walk to no fewer than four farmer’s markets. Four! Everything is so beautiful and fresh. I was inspired this week by the seasonal artichokes. Bring on the fry!
How do you remove the artichoke choke anyway?
There are different size artichokes, as you can see here, but I fried up the baby ones. They are smaller (duh) so you can fry in less oil. And there is no choke (aka the fuzzy middle appropriately named because you can literally choke on it) to remove before eating. A win win! But you can totally make this recipe with medium or large artichokes too. Just make sure to remove the choke. You can do this in between the fry sessions by scooping it out of the middle, or slicing them in half the long way before frying or after the first fry and scoop it out then.
Are fried artichokes Jewish?
Did you know fried artichokes are a Jewish food? Back in ancient Rome, most Italians were not artichoke fans, but the Roman Jews embraced them, especially in fried form. Turns out they were correct- fried artichokes are delicious!
How do you prepare fried artichokes?
Don’t be scared. You just pick off the darker spiky leaves until you are left with the pale green bulb. Then, slice the top of the leaves off leaving a spiral flower shape! Trim the stem too. Fry them once to cook the ‘choke, then turn up the heat and fry to a golden brown. Olive oil is traditional, but you can use a high smoke point oil for frying too like canola, grapeseed or vegetable. Or a combo! You’re going to want to serve these right away with a sprinkle of salt, squeeze of lemon, and a dip in aioli. YUM.
Don’t you just love how they look like little flowers?
What Is Carciofi alla Giudia?
Carciofi alla giudia means “Jewish-style artichokes” in Roman dialect, and it is one of the most famous dishes of Rome’s Jewish community. That community has been in Rome for more than 2,000 years, longer than almost any other Jewish community in Europe. When the Pope walled Rome’s Jews into the Ghetto in 1555, they had to make a lot out of very little, and cheap seasonal produce fried in oil became a signature. Today you can still order these crispy golden artichokes at the restaurants lining Via del Portico d’Ottavia, the main street of the old Ghetto.
The idea is simple: trim the artichoke, fry it whole until the heart is tender, then open it up like a flower and fry it again until the outer leaves turn shatteringly crisp. The leaves eat like potato chips and the heart stays soft and nutty. It’s basically the Jewish grandmother of the onion blossom.
Why Fried Artichokes Belong on Your Hanukkah Table
In Rome these are a spring dish and a Passover classic, since that’s when local artichokes are at their peak. But anything fried in oil is fair game for Hanukkah, when we eat fried foods to remember the oil that lasted eight nights. If you’re tired of making latkes for the 47th time (no judgment, I love a latke too, see my best latkes recipe), fried artichokes are an elegant change of pace. Serve them as a starter alongside my other Hanukkah appetizers or check out all of my deep fried Hanukkah recipes for more ways to celebrate the oil.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Baby artichokes: about 12. They are small, tender and don’t have a fuzzy choke to scoop out.
- Lemons: for the water bath that keeps the trimmed artichokes from browning, plus wedges for serving.
- Oil for frying: olive oil is traditional in Rome, but canola, vegetable or grapeseed work too, or a mix.
- Salt: flaky salt is lovely here for a final sprinkle.
- Mayo or aioli: for dipping. Not traditional, totally delicious.
Baby Artichokes vs. Big Globe Artichokes
I used baby artichokes because they need less oil, cook faster and have no choke, so there’s nothing to scoop out. Despite the name, baby artichokes aren’t immature. They are fully grown artichokes that grow lower on the plant, shaded by the leaves above them, so they stay small. In Rome, cooks use a round, thornless variety called romanesco (or mammole), which is hard to find in the US.
Medium or large globe artichokes work too. Just remember to remove the fuzzy choke, either by halving them lengthwise before frying or by scooping it out between the two fries. Bigger artichokes need a few extra minutes in the first fry. Look for artichokes that feel heavy for their size with tightly closed leaves. In the US, peak season is spring, with a smaller crop in the fall.
The Secret Is the Double Fry
This is the step that makes or breaks the dish, so don’t skip it! The first fry happens at a low temperature, about 275 degrees F, for around 10 minutes. This gently cooks the artichoke through to the heart without browning the outside. You’ll know it’s ready when a knife slides easily into the base near the stem.
Then you pull them out, let them cool a bit, press the leaves open into a flower shape, and crank the oil up to 350 degrees F. The second fry only takes 3 to 4 minutes and is all about color and crunch. Same idea as the best French fries: cook low, then crisp high.
Tips for the Crispiest Fried Artichokes
- Use a thermometer. Both oil temperatures matter, and guessing usually means a burnt outside and a raw heart.
- Dry them well. After their lemon bath, pat the artichokes very dry, especially between the leaves. Water and hot oil are not friends.
- Trim aggressively. Keep pulling off the dark outer leaves until you reach the pale yellow-green ones. The dark leaves stay tough and chewy no matter how long you fry them.
- Don’t crowd the pot. Fry in batches so the oil temperature doesn’t drop.
- Salt right away. Sprinkle with salt the second they come out of the oil so it sticks.
- Serve hot. These are at their best within a few minutes of the second fry.
What to Serve with Roman Jewish Fried Artichokes
Serve them as an appetizer with lemon wedges and aioli, or as a side next to roast chicken or fish. For a full Roman Jewish fried feast, add my deep fried matzo balls and a big green salad. Planning the whole holiday spread? My Hanukkah menu and 50+ Hanukkah recipes have you covered.
Can You Make Them Ahead?
Fried artichokes are best fresh, but you can split up the work. Trim the artichokes and keep them in lemon water in the fridge for a few hours. You can also do the first low-temperature fry up to a few hours ahead, let them sit at room temperature, then do the second fry right before serving. Leftovers can be reheated in a 400 degree F oven or air fryer for a few minutes to crisp back up. Avoid the microwave unless you love sad, soggy artichokes.
Roman Jewish Fried Artichokes FAQ
What does carciofi alla giudia mean?
It means “Jewish-style artichokes.” Giudia is the Roman dialect word for Jewish, a nod to the dish’s roots in Rome’s Jewish Ghetto.
What’s the difference between carciofi alla giudia and carciofi alla romana?
Carciofi alla giudia are fried whole until crispy. Carciofi alla romana are Roman-style artichokes braised slowly with olive oil, garlic and mint, so they turn soft and tender instead of crunchy. Both are Roman classics, and both are delicious.
Are Roman fried artichokes kosher?
The ingredients are, but there’s a famous debate! In 2018 Israel’s Chief Rabbinate said whole artichokes can’t be certified kosher because tiny insects can hide between the tightly packed leaves. Rome’s Jewish community pushed back, arguing their careful cleaning makes them perfectly kosher, as they have for centuries. If you keep strict kosher, check with your rabbi and inspect and rinse the leaves well.
Can I use frozen or canned artichoke hearts?
Not for this recipe. The magic is in the whole artichoke opening up into a crispy flower, and canned or frozen hearts are already trimmed and cooked. You can fry well-dried frozen hearts for a quick snack, but they won’t have those crispy petals.
How do I keep artichokes from turning brown?
Artichokes start browning as soon as you cut them. Drop each one into a big bowl of water with lemon juice as soon as you finish trimming it. Toss the squeezed lemon halves in too.
What oil is best for frying artichokes?
Olive oil is traditional and gives the best flavor. Since the frying temperature tops out at 350 degrees F, regular olive oil works fine. If you want something more neutral or budget friendly, use canola, vegetable or grapeseed oil, or mix half olive oil with a neutral oil.
Is a Jerusalem artichoke the same thing?
Nope! Jerusalem artichokes, also called sunchokes, are knobby root vegetables from a type of sunflower. They’re not artichokes, and they’re not from Jerusalem. They are tasty though, try them in my Jerusalem artichoke salad.
Roman Jewish Fried Artichokes
Ingredients
- 12 baby artichokes
- 3 lemons
- Oil for frying (olive oil is traditional, but feel free to use a high spoke point oil like canola, vegetable or grapeseed too. Or a combo!)
- Salt
- Mayonnaisse or aioli for dipping
Instructions
- Set aside a large bowl of water and squeeze the juice from two lemons in the bowl. Throw the lemons in too while you are at it. This will prevent our artichokes from browning as we prep them.
- Taking one at a time, pick off the darker spiky outer leaves until you are left with the pale green bulb. Then, slice the leaves in half where the bulb starts to turn in, leaving a spiral flower shape! Trim the fibrous pieces off of the stem too. put the artichoke in the water and continue with the other pieces.
- Now, time to fry. Heat up about 2 inches of oil to 275 degrees F. It doesn't have to be enough oil to cover the pieces as we will flip them while frying. Set aside a cooling rack over a towel. Fry the artichokes for about 10 minutes, flipping periodically, until a knife entered near the stem enters easily.
- Remove the artichokes and heat the oil up to 350 degrees F. When cool enough to handle, spread the leaves out to make them flower shaped. Pretty! If you are using larger artichokes, remove the choke at this point.
- Fry the artichokes for 3-4 more minutes until golden in color. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of salt, a squeeze of lemon and a dip in mayo!
7 Comments
Is it possible to make this in an air fryer?
I haven’t tried but I’m sure that would work!
Can this be made with canned artichokes?
No, use fresh artichokes only.
do you take the choke out too?
I used baby artichokes which have no choke. But if you use bigger artichokes definitely take it out. You can either cut them in half in the beginning and remove or after the first fry, scoop it out of the middle.
In the Bay Area you get artichokes for very little money. In NYC it is $1.59 an artichoke and they hardly ever have baby ones. Why can’t this be made with canned artichoke hearts? There must be a way . . .