Getting Arty with the Chokes Part Two

Sformato di Carciofi al Forno
Baby Artichokes Baked in Egg & Bread Crumbs

Yes people, this is the second of my baby artichoke dishes and what would be for me my little "main course" this evening. Equally simple and obviously much quicker to prepare as the artichokes were already boiled previously whilst preparing the soup- and also just as yummy and delicious too!

Again- this is as simple and down-to-earth a dish as you could possibly imagine. And again, a handful of stale bread or bread crumbs is all it takes to transform these simple little artichoke hearts into a real oven-baked and satisfying treat! Let me tell you how...

I coarsely chopped half of a small onion and popped it into a mixer with one half of an artichoke heart and chopped them to a pulp, to which I added 1-2 tablespoons of bread crumbs and 1 egg. I added about 1 teaspoon of grated parmesan cheese and just a little finely chopped parsley. I seasoned with salt, pepper and nutmeg and poured the mixture into a small baking dish.

I then took the remaining artichoke hearts which had dripped-dry in the meantime and drizzled them ever-so-lightly with olive oil. I laid them out in the egg and crumb mixture and seasoned them again with just a little salt, pepper and nutmeg before popping the dish into a hot oven, at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until the egg had set.

After 10-15 minutes, I took the dish out of the oven and let if cool for 3-4 minutes. This allowed for any excess moisture in the artichokes to seep out and come to the surface... which it will. Sigh. Which is why I waited those extra few minutes before popping it back into the oven and under the broiler to finish off, as it would give that extra moisture a chance to evaporate.

If I had been feeling a little bit fitter, I might have added a little more cheese, but basically, the hint of mint, the egg and the bread crumbs are such a nice combination, just accented by the hint of parmesan we added, that I personally found this mix just right.

This was my little, individual makeshift supper this evening, but you might want to try this in a larger baking tray and cut it into portions to serve up as a side dish or appetizer. Again- it is a very simple dish with very few flavors, but nicely combined ones that compliment each other. And why rock that comfy little boat if they are all getting along so nicely with each other? ;-) Hahaha! 

Hope you agree if you give this a try- for me it was a perfect little dish. Because sometimes you really must agree that less is more- so much so that you will be wanting more as well! Enjoy!