With the second issue of the Zero Waste in the Kitchen column. we find out how to recover and enhance some parts of artichokes that too often end up in the trash: stems and outer leaves.
Parti considerate “meno nobili”, ma che in realtà sono Rich in fiber, minerals and beneficial active ingredients.
Ridurre lo spreco alimentare in cucina è possibile anche con piccoli gesti quotidiani: basta un pizzico di creatività per trasformare gli scarti in ingredienti protagonisti di ricette sane e gustose.
Artichokes: a vegetable not to be wasted
Il carciofo è uno di quegli alimenti di cui nothing is thrown away.
Stems and outer leaves, if well cleaned, can be used in many preparations-they are flavorful, versatile, and perfect for sustainable cooking.
Below we offer you two anti-waste recipes simple and full of flavor, ideal for giving new life to artichoke scraps.
Artichoke stem fritters
Ingredients
- 6 artichokes
- 1 large egg (or two small ones)
- 12 grams of flour
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Preparation
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Thoroughly clean the artichoke stems, elimina la parte più fibrosa esterna e tagliali a pezzetti molto piccoli.
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Trasferiscili in una ciotola, aggiungi l’egg and the flour, then mix until the batter is smooth.
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Rule of salt and pepper.
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Scalda l’olio in una pentola o padella dai bordi alti.
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Preleva l’impasto con due cucchiai e versa le frittelle nell’olio caldo.
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Fry them until they turn out golden and crispy, then drain them on paper towels.
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Serve them warm as an appetizer or anti-waste appetizer.
Chickpea noodles with cream of artichoke stems, pecorino cheese and black pepper
Ingredients (for 4 people):
- 400 g of chickpea noodles
- 200 g of grated pecorino cheese
- 8 artichoke stems
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Juice of 1 lemon
- A splash of white wine
- Mint leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Preparation
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Porta a ebollizione l’acqua per la cottura della pasta.
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Wash and clean the artichoke stems, then spray them with the lemon juice per evitare l’ossidazione.
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Cut them into cubes and sauté them in a pan with olio extravergine d’oliva e garlic.
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It fades with the white wine and continue cooking until soft. Adjust for salt.
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Mash the stems with a fork until you get a rustic cream.
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Cook the chickpea noodles, drain them when al dente, and transfer them to the pan with the cream.
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Manteca con un po’ di cooking water, add the pecorino cheese and a generous grinding of black pepper.
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Toss the pasta and serve, finishing with more pecorino cheese, pepper and a few mint leaves.
More Zero Waste ideas and recipes
- Un’altra idea gustosa e facile da preparare con i artichoke stems è il pesto, perfect for seasoning anything you want, from pasta to bruschetta.
- Another pesto Zero Waste può essere preparato con i black cabbage stalks.
- If you want to enjoy a risotto with artichokes, but you have little time to prepare it, you can try our Artichoke and radicchio risotto.
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