Remember that week I spent in Rome I’m still eating my way through all the goodies I brought back.
While in Rome, I stopped at the local grocery store The Coop. It was perfect because that’s where I bought my 25oz bottle of extra virgin olive oil, that I’m still using. I also made my way to the spreads section of the store. There, I found black olive tapenade, capers in chunky salt and it’s also there I discovered Artichoke Pate. While the jar and ingredients were in Italian, I managed to google translate my way through. I wish I had brought a jar back home with me. Since I wasn’t able to, I decided to make my own artichoke spread with fresh ingredients.
Don’t get me started on the fresh Italian ingredients in Rome. At one of the restaurants we went to, they served whole fried artichoke. It wasn’t covered in batter or anything. Not the way you think of fried vegetables, at least. The artichoke was served whole and the leaves were browned and crispy. A perfect combination with a plate of bread and cheese. I just can’t wait for the farmer’s markets to open up in May. I’ll be eating fresh fruits and vegetables all summer long.
So what the heck would you use Artichoke Spread for, right? That’s probably one of the first questions you asked yourself when you got to this recipe. Well, Artichoke Spread is actually pretty versatile. If you love sandwiches, use Creamy Artichoke Spread instead of mayo or mustard, then pop in the panini grill. Use it as an appetizer for dipping bread, or add a small bowl of Artichoke Spread to your charcuterie board. I even challenge you to be creative and use it as a light pasta sauce in lieu of pesto. It’s amazing what you can do with a little bit of Artichoke Spread.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Artichoke Hearts
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves Garlic
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, place the artichoke hearts, garlic, parmesan cheese, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil and pulse until smooth.
- Depending on the consistency, add the second tablespoon of olive oil.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
