One of the things I most look forward to in spring is the arrival of fresh artichokes. 🥳 We eat them steamed, stuffed or sautéed – any way makes my little heart happy. This sausage-stuffed artichoke recipe is a throwback to a meal our Mom used to make frequently (to my dismay). Back then, not knowing what I was missing, I would frequently just wrinkle my nose up at the thought of eating an artichoke or try to convince my friend Pam to let me go to dinner at her house.

Continue reading Sausage-Stuffed Artichokes at Our Italian Table.

It’s that time of the year: artichoke season! Suddenly, artichokes are everywhere in farmers’ markets, and even in supermarkets. Even Stanley Tucci is cooking with them. In a few weeks, just as suddenly as they have appeared, their short season will end. Of course, in supermarkets artichokes are imported from who-knows-where nearly year-round, but in Italy, where cooking is always local and seasonal, this wonderful vegetable comes to markets for only about four weeks and then disappears until the next year. 

Now that artichoke season is just beginning, a wonderful thing to do, artichoke-wise, is to find baby artichokes, as I did this week at the Beverly Hills Farmers Market vendor – Roots Organic Farm.

Continue reading Stuffed Baby Artichokes and the Artichoke Round-Up! at Our Italian Table.

So…..how the heck is everyone doing out there? Hopefully everyone is weathering this crazy storm with a shred of sanity. I find myself oscillating between #wegotthis (woohoo!) and #getmeoutofherenow (like RIGHT THIS MINUTE); #Ilovecooking (Yay, let’s tackle a market run this morning!) and #Ihatecooking (french fries for dinner); #Ilovecleaning and….wait, those words have never ever been uttered from my lips.

I have been trying to stay positive and look for small gratitudes and silver linings.

Continue reading Braised Artichokes with White Wine and Garlic at Our Italian Table.

One of the greatest things about Italy are the local “sagre” (singular – sagra). Sagre or food festivals are a staple of the regions of Italy with a strong farming culture. Italian sagre focus on ONE thing and every variation there of: fava beans, porchetta or mortadella to name some examples. Bigger, broader sagre happen too but the singular focus on one ingredient are my preference. Think the Gilroy, California garlic festival!

Artichoke tart at the Filetto Artichoke Festival, 2018

My hands down favorite is the sagra in the region of Marche dedicated to the artichoke!!

Continue reading Torta dolce di carciofi (Sweet artichoke tart) at Our Italian Table.

One of the true pleasures of being in Italy this past spring was the bounty of local seasonal vegetables. I remember fava beans, fresh peas, baby potatoes, arugula and so much more. But what I remember the most are baby artichokes, or carciofini. Tasting of pure springtime, there was no better side dish than these delicate purple wonders during the brief time they were in season. I remember my cousin’s wife Maria cooking and serving them.

Continue reading I carciofi brasati di Maria (Maria’s braised artichokes) at Our Italian Table.

We have arrived in the hilltop town of Scapezzano, where my grandfather grew up and our cousins still live, in the Marche region of Italy. Spring has arrived in full force here in Marche, and the vegetable stands are overflowing with every variety of spring delight! I’m determined to eat food grown as locally as possible—my one purchase, soon after we arrived, of tomatoes from Sicily and rapini from Puglia I will try to make my last.

Continue reading It’s raining artichokes! – Baby Artichoke Risotto at Our Italian Table.

Artichokes. Fava beans. Asparagus. Peas. Ramps. Spring’s glorious bounty is finally here after a long winter of turnips, potatoes, rutabagas and butternut squash. Don’t get me wrong – I love my root vegetables in the dead of winter but one can only consume so many rutabagas, right? Thankfully, my root vegetable fatigue is now a distant memory.

Just the sight of the beautiful delicate spring green produce brings tears to my eyes.

Continue reading Vignarola: A Celebration of Spring at Our Italian Table.

Tomorrow, I begin my 2 week food cleanse – Italian food blogger style! (Look for healthful Italian recipes throughout the coming weeks!)  Half of Our Italian Table, the east coast half  :-), is foregoing some vices (vino, caffeine, grains, dairy) for a few weeks to give this little ‘ole body a break from the excesses of the holiday season and get revved up for the year ahead! I know you are probably thinking – ‘yea, good luck with that!’  (But seriously, join me if you can and send me your favorite recipes and we will post them!

Continue reading Artichoke Risotto with Fondue (Risotto ai Carciofi con Fonduta) at Our Italian Table.

Spring is synonymous with artichokes for me.  And with the days finally turning a bit warmer here, spring cannot arrive fast enough.  I grow ridiculously restless this time of year – restless to be outside turning the garden soil or sweeping out the shed or simply walking near the river and listening to everything awaken around me. And it is impossible for me to sleep much past the sunrise – chomping at the bit to start the day.

Continue reading Simply Roasted Artichokes: A Sunny Taste of Spring at Our Italian Table.

Ooooh, spring is in the air!  Days here are turning just a bit warmer and although still chilly, my thoughts turn to the delectable bounty of food that will soon be in the markets….including my favorite, spring artichokes.  And although artichokes can now be found in the market year round, the fresh spring crop has that extra spring in its step (pun intended :o).   The April issue of La Cucina Italiana features an article on these wonderful treats and after scanning my issue, was craving some creamy artichoke goodness for dinner last eve. 

Continue reading Carciofi Gratinati con Ragu di Pollo: Artichoke and Chicken Gratin at Our Italian Table.