Fried artichoke, Adji Cress and cheese

Ingredients for four people

• Four large artichokes
• 4 punnets of Adji Cress
• 50 g grated mature pecorino cheese
• 1 clove of garlic
• 4–5 sprigs of parsley
• 1 glass of white wine
• 2 glasses of water
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Vegetable oil for frying

Method

• Clean the artichokes, place them in a pan with the stem end facing downwards, add the garlic clove and the parsley stalks, the extra virgin olive oil, the contents of a whole punnet of Adji Cress, the wine and the water, then cover with a lid and cook gently for about 15–20 minutes until the artichokes are tender and the liquid has evaporated. Leave them to cool in the cooking pan.
• Take another punnet of Adji Cress and chop it together with a little pecorino cheese until you have a very dry, coarse pesto.
• Heat the frying pan with the oil, heat it to 160°C, dip in the cooled artichokes and, using a spoon, pour some hot oil into the centre of the artichoke so that it opens like a flower; brown it thoroughly, drain on kitchen paper and season lightly with salt.
• On a serving plate, place the Adji Cress pesto in the centre of the artichoke, cover with grated pecorino and finish with Adji Cress.

Recipe: Pier Giorgio Parini