Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [217]
5. Smear the bottom of the baking dish with butter, and cover it with a layer of artichoke slices and stems. Sprinkle with salt and grated Parmesan, and dot with butter. Repeat the procedure, building up layers of artichokes until all are used. Sprinkle the top layer generously with grated cheese and dot with butter.
6. Bake in the upper third of the preheated oven for 15 or 20 minutes, until a light crust forms on top. Allow to settle for a few minutes before serving.
Gratin of Artichokes, Potatoes, and Onions
IN THIS GRATIN, the artichokes are fully cooked before going into the oven with raw sliced potatoes and sautéed onions. While the potatoes cook, the thin artichoke slices become very soft, surrendering some of their texture in order to spread their flavor more liberally.
For 6 servings
2 large globe artichokes OR 4 medium size
1 lemon, cut in half
2 tablespoons butter plus more for dotting the baking dish
1 cup onion sliced thin
Salt
3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced potato-chip thin
An oven-to-table baking dish
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
½ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1. Cut the trimmed artichokes into 1-inch wedges and pare and split the stems. Use half the lemon to moisten the cut parts with juice as you work. Put the artichoke wedges and stems into a bowl with enough cold water to cover and squeeze the juice of the other lemon half into the bowl. Stir and let stand until needed later.
2. Choose a saute pan large enough to accommodate all the ingredients, put in the 2 tablespoons of butter and the onion, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook the onion at a slow pace, stirring occasionally, until it is very soft and becomes colored a deep gold. Take off heat.
3. Drain the artichoke wedges and stems, and rinse them in cold water to wash away traces of their acidulated soak. Cut the wedges into the thinnest possible slices. Put the slices and the stems into the pan with the onion, sprinkle with salt, add ½ cup water, turn on the heat to medium, and cover the pot with the lid on slightly ajar. Cook at a slow, intermittent simmer, turning the artichokes from time to time, until they feel tender when prodded with a fork, about 15 minutes or more, depending on their youth and freshness.
4. While the artichokes are cooking, preheat oven to 400°.
5. When the artichokes are done, put the sliced potatoes in the pan, turn them over 2 or 3 times to coat them well, then remove from heat.
6. Pour the contents of the pan into a baking dish, preferably choosing one in which the ingredients, when they are all in, will not come more than 1½ inches up the sides. Add several grindings of pepper and a little more salt, and use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread the artichoke and potato mixture evenly. Dot the top with butter, and place the dish in the upper rack of the preheated oven.
7. After 15 minutes, take the dish out of the oven, turn its contents 2 or 3 times, spread them out evenly again, and return to the oven. When the potatoes become tender, in another 15 minutes or so, take the pan out, sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan, and keep it in the oven until the cheese melts and forms a light crust. Allow the heat to subside for a few minutes before serving.
Artichoke Torta in a Flaky Crust
THE PASTRY SHELL for this vegetable pie is unusual because instead of the eggs that customarily go into making Italian flaky pastry it uses ricotta. It is very light, and the word that best describes its texture is, indeed, flaky.
The flavorful filling consists mainly of artichokes, which are sliced very thin and braised on a bed of carrot and onion. It is rounded out with eggs, ricotta, and Parmesan.
For 6 servings
FOR THE FILLING
4 medium artichokes
1 lemon, cut in half
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped carrot
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
¾ cup fresh ricotta
½ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
2 eggs
1. Trim the artichokes of all their tough parts.