Happy Sunday!!! It is another beautiful Fall Day in Connecticut!!!

Today I am making Auntie Tina's Italian Stuffed Artichokes. This one of the recipes that she taught me by watching her. There were no ingredient amounts when she taught me, just so much of this and so much of that. I have been making them for years her way, so just for you, since you can’t just come over and watch me, I have figured out the ingredient amounts. This is one of Sal’s and mine favorite dishes from his family.

Sal thought I should make them and post them in my blog. I think he is just in the mood for them (LOL) Soooo good!!

They do take a bit a time to prep, but the results are delightful!

Here we go......

Ingredients:

4 medium to large fresh Artichokes

3 cups Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 cups water

1 Tbs Granulated Garlic

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut stems off the Artichokes

Cut all the pointed tips

Cut the top 2” off

Cut the inside pointed tips

With your hands go around the artichoke and spread out to open them. See the pictured of how they look closed and open

Run under water and keep opening up with your hands as you make sure all the cut pieces are out of the Artichoke. Place upside down on a dish cloth to drain.

In a medium bowl, mix the bread crumbs, granulated garlic , salt and pepper. Add 1 cup of the olive oil. Mix .This next part is messy, so make sure that you do this over a cutting board or a place that it is easy to clean.

Take each Artichoke and place a large handful of the breadcrumb mix on top. Press down as you open the petals. Keep opening the petals and keep stuffing until they are all pretty full with the stuffing. Whatever breadcrumb mix you have left, place on top and press down.

In a large pan, that will fit all four stuffed Artichokes very close together, add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and 3 cups water. Place the Artichokes in the pan touching each other very tightly. You want them to hold each other up and not tip or all the stuffing will fall into the water. The water should be about 1” from the bottom touching the Artichokes.

Drizzle the top of each with the rest of the olive oil. Cover tightly with foil paper.

Place in the pre heated oven.

After one hour, remove from oven and with oven mitts, very carefully remove the foil paper. Test if they are ready by removing one of the bottom petals. If it doesn’t come off easily, keep cooking them for another hour..You will know they are ready when the petal comes right off the rest of the Artichoke. Check that there is still enough water in the pan. If not, add some more water, cover with foil again and place back in the oven. After another hour, remove from oven. Cover and let them set for another 15 minutes.Place on a serving plate and serve as an appetizer.

When you eat them, scrape each petal with your teeth. When you get to the heart, cut off the top spiny part with a knife and eat the softest part, which is the heart of the artichoke.

This recipe serves 4 people, or 2 people two times, or one person 4 times. What you don’t use, cover and refrigerate. Reheat covered in microwave for 1 minute for each Artichoke.