Fried artichokes

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 5 artichokes
• 1 lemon(s), the juice
• 2 m.-sized eggs
• 5 tbsp flour, more if necessary
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 oil, for frying

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 8 minutes; Total time approx. 38 minutes

Italian family recipe – Carciofo Fritto

To prevent the artichokes from discoloring, squeeze the juice of one lemon into a bowl filled with plenty of water. Cut off 1/3 of the tip of the artichoke and carefully remove about 3 layers of outer leaves down to the stem. Leave about 8-10 cm of stem and peel. Then cut them lengthwise into eighths, including the stem, and immediately place them in the lemon water. Beat the eggs in a deep plate and add the flour to a second plate. Dry the artichoke pieces thoroughly with kitchen paper, dip them in the egg, then in the flour and place them on new kitchen paper. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 145°C and fry the artichokes for 8 minutes. Line a plate with kitchen paper, let the artichokes drain slightly, and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately and enjoy. Note: In Italy, the artichoke varieties used for deep-frying are Catanese, Romanesco, and Violetto Toscano. The latter is the smallest variety and contains the least amount of so-called hay. The artichoke should be as closed as possible and have a stem approximately 25 cm long. When handling artichokes, disposable gloves should be worn to prevent staining of the hands.