The Best Oven Baked Artichoke
Ingredients:
2 Artichokes
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumb, optional
Grated parmesan cheese, optional
Directions:
1. Cut off the crowns (top pointed part to open the artichoke) and stems (bottom) of artichoke.
2. This step is completely optional but I have had my best artichokes using this tip. Boil a large pot of water and add artichokes to boiling water for approximately 10-15 minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool until ready to touch.
*Pictured below you will notice how open the leaves are after the boiling method.
3. Place each artichoke on a sheet on aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. If boiled, it will be easier to open the leaves and add the chopped garlic in between each or as many leaves as you would like
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add more oil as desired. Grate fresh parmesan over the top if preferred.
5. Wrap each artichoke with the foil it is placed on. Wrap with another piece of foil and place on oven rack with a small pan underneath to catch oil from falling. Or you can place the artichokes in a small pan, I prefer to put the artichoke directly on the heated rack but this is a matter of choice!
6. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. When complete, carefully remove from oven and allow to cool. When safe to handle, you may remove foil but the artichoke will still be very hot. Allow more cooling, serve and enjoy!
*Growing up my mother used to make these for my family. She used to place about 6 artichokes in a large pan, after boiling and stuffing, and cover the entire pan with foil. This method definitely works as her artichokes were delicious but since it’s just my fiancé and I, I personally prefer to tend to each artichoke individually.
