Skip to main content

Carciofi Fritti

Best made with the hearts of fresh artichokes, but that is an expensive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive route. I won’t say frozen artichoke hearts are just as good, but they are worth using, and that’s what most people do—increasingly, even in Italy. The tenderness and subtle flavor of the vegetable still comes through. I like to fry these in olive oil, but it’s not essential.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 servings

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil like corn or grapeseed as needed
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
1 cup fairly fine bread crumbs, preferably homemade (page 580)
8 artichoke hearts, fresh (see page 72) or thawed frozen
Lemon wedges for serving

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat at least 1 inch of oil in a wide saucepan or deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat.

    Step 2

    Season the eggs and, if you like, combine the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs; season this mixture, too. When the oil is ready—a pinch of the bread crumbs will sizzle—dip each heart in the eggs, then roll in the bread crumbs. Add them to the oil, one at a time, and fry without crowding (it’s unlikely you’ll need to do this in batches, but if your pan is small, you might), turning as necessary, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes.

    Step 3

    Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and serve immediately—on a plate lined with a cloth napkin, if you want to be fancy—with the lemon wedges.

The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
Read More
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
A slow-simmering, comforting braise delivering healing to both body and soul.
Crunchy and crowd-pleasing, this salad can be prepared in advance and customized to your heart’s content.
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Summer’s best produce cooked into one vibrant, silky, flavor-packed dish.