Some recipes to enjoy this great ingredient and our pasta

I admit it: I love artichokes but has always been a bit difficult for me to clean and cook them properly. I want them but I'm always a bit too lazy to actually buy them often.

Today, with the official beginning of the spring season I decided that it's time to beat my enemy and shake a  bit my diet welcoming this great ingredient.

I then started to look here and there for interesting recipes and this is what inspired me. They really are pretty easy, so maybe is the time to go shopping soon.

Just few days ago in twitter @donalde asked me about the Pecorino cream. I didn't know what it was, because very local and typical of Sardinia, but it seems you can find it in London at Melograno Deli with the Provola cheese too. So here some recipes to enjoy them and the artichokes!

Fusilli with artichokes, goat cheese, pecorino and almonds or Mezzi Rigatoni with artichokes and provola cheese (smoked or not).

If you like goat cheese go for Fusilli, that are better with saucy cream, while if you prefer Provala Cheese (you can find it in Melograno deli) go for the Mezzi Rigatoni.

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Ten years of food, ten years of awards

I spoke lots of times about the changes in the English appetite and in the attitude towards food: a new passion  for restaurants, for good products and for cooking, has born in the latest years.

And  the Observer Food Monthly, that is turning this year its 10^th anniversary, probably contributed in this change. It born in 2001 as a monthly foodie section of the Observer one of the first and most successful Sunday newspaper in UK and are now 10 years that is presenting, speaking and discussing about food with the nation and not only with foodies or food passionate.

I’m happy to see that one of the 10 dishes chosen in  the last number, by famous food writer and journalist Nigel Slater, as the best recipes of these years, was a pasta dish. The Pasta couldn't miss this space! The recipe is  Orecchiette with Cheese and Artichokes that you can find here.

And the OFM Award has always been a way to celebrate the best of the British food industry. With the years the public became always more involved as a mayor judge of this prize.

OFM editor, Allan Jenkins, said: "We are proud the awards celebrate the people challenging our eating and shopping habits, those that appreciate the value of food. I hope our readers think hard about who they nominate for an award and I am sure, as ever, the entries will demonstrate innovation and excellence in the field of food and drink."

So, it’s not only a big anniversary for this innovative and in the same time traditional newspaper, part of the english weekends, this is also the year of a new entry in their classic category selection: The best food Blog.

With the nomination for best ethical restaurant, best independent local retailer, best restaurant, cheap eats, recipe and cookbook (another symbol of changing of time), place to drink, best cocktails, food personality, OBM, has now created a proper nomination for the best food bloggers.

So if you are here reading this post you will probably know lots of great bloggers, really passionate about food, who can make you laugh or just… hungry!

You will have until the 24th of June to vote and tell your opinion about food in UK and to say out loud your favourite choices. So get the chance to give a prize to your favourite restaurants, chefs, food personalities, recipe… and why not blogs! 

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A vegetarian and light dish for a long menu.

As you maybe can imagine, in Italy we have long and great lunches in holiday time, when the family is all reunited together. The menus are reach of traditional dishes, seasonal ingredients and made following quite complex recipes.

For this Easter break I helped my mum in the preparation of the lunch and knowing about the starters, the lamb as a main dish, the potatoes and different vegetables as side orders and the amount of dessert that were going to come after, I suggested to cook a reasonable light pasta and it was a great choice.

I put together some fresh artichokes my mum bought at the market, some broad beans and how could i forgot about the Pecorino cheese, traditional partner of the broad beans in the picnic we normally organize on the  Easter Monday. Especially in Rome, "Fave e Pecorino" are a must!

Here the recipe i followed for 4 people:  Tortiglioni Artichokes and Broad beans

- 350 g Tortiglioni Pastificio dei Campi
- 4 artichokes
- 300 g Broad beans
- 1  onion
- 1 lemon
- Extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper
- Some grated Pecorino cheese
- some parsley if you like it

Remove the stalk and the rough outer leaves from the artichokes, cut them in half, and remove their hairy centers. Cut them into thin strips and place them in a bowl with water and lemon juice.

Open the broad beans and remove their extra skin. In a pan, cook the chopped onion until soft, then add the artichokes and the broad beans and cook for 4-5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper and add another splash of lemon juice before cooking for another 5-6 minutes, or until the artichokes are tender.

Cook the Tortiglioni until "al dente", drain them and add them to the sauce and mix everything together. Finish the dish with some chopped Italian parsley and grated Pecorino cheese.

Happy Easter Monday to everyone!

P.s. A little curiosity: do you know that "Tortiglione" isn’t just a form of pasta? It’s also a typical symbol for lathe working, characterized by a spiral design that gives this pasta its name.

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At their best in this season, you can't miss to try this dish

Last weekend I went to Portobello Market, because I had a friend visiting me and I decided to bring her in one of the most typical market here in London.

So while she was lost between all the antiquities and second hand dresses stands, I had the chance to buy some fresh products to cook in the evening. Between all the fruits and vegetables available, I was really undecided  about what to pick up, but the artichokes are one of those ingredients so rare to find, that I couldn't stop myself from buying them.

In Italy the artichokes have normally two seasons: one in these months and another one in spring, and they are a classic also in my family's Christmas dinner. There are so many ways to eat/cook them: you can serve their leaves like they are and dip them in vinaigrette, you can grill or fry them... or you can finally use them as an ingredient for your pasta.

Here some tips and a little recipe to enjoy them in the best way.

Ingredients for 4 people:

- 3 artichokes: Pick artichokes with well-coloured, undamaged, tightly-closed leaves. Smaller artichokes have more tender leaves; larger ones have bigger hearts.

- 380-400gr Pennoni Pastificio dei Campi

- 3 spoons of single cream or even semi-skimmed milk for something light.

- Extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and a vegetable stock

- 3-4 garlic cloves

- Parsley and a bit of lemon juice

- Parmesan cheese

Remove the toughest of the outer leaves. Snip off any sharp leaf tips. Snap the stalk off at the base and remove the tough fibres running into the base where possible. Cut them in four pieces. Pull out the central cone of thinner leaves to reveal the inedible fibrous 'choke' (this may not be present in smaller baby artichokes). Carefully scrape this out with a teaspoon, leaving the prized heart in place. Then put the artichoke in acidulated water (e.g. water with a good squeeze of lemon juice added) for around half an hour.

Place the garlic cloves in a pan with some olive oil. When they starts to get goldish, take them out and add the artichokes and some finely chopped parsley. Cover with some stock water and leave it cook for about 40 minutes. Add other "brodo" or stock water if needed. Artichokes are cooked when you can easily pull out an inner leaf and the stem is tender.

Prepare now the water for the pasta and then pass the half of the artichokes in a mixer with the milk, pepper, salt and some grated Parmesan. If you prefer to use the cream for your dish, don't add the milk to the mixer. When the sauce is done, put this back in the pan with the rest of the artichokes until the pasta is cooked. Here you can add the cream if you want, with some other salt and pepper.

When the pasta is ready, drain it and add the sauce with some Parmesan flakes and a touch of parsley.

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