Recipe: Patsy's Restaurant Stuffed Artichokes (a favorite of Frank Sinatra)

PATSY'S RESTAURANT STUFFED ARTICHOKES

"One of Frank Sinatra's very favorite recipes. Below is our typical preparation, but we changed it slightly to accommodate Frank's aversion to a strong garlic taste."

4 large or jumbo artichokes
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped black olives, preferably gaeta
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped nonpareil capers, rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Rinse the artichokes under cold running water. With a sharp knife, remove the stem, and cut 2 inches from the top of each artichoke. Pull the center leaves apart, and with a small spoon remove the fuzzy choke and tiny inner leaves. Reserve.

Place the bread crumbs, olives, cheese, garlic, parsley, basil, capers, red pepper flakes, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil gradually, stirring until thoroughly combined and moistened. Spoon the bread-crumb mixture into the hollowed-out artichoke centers, tamping down with the back of the spoon until each artichoke is filled to the top. Season to taste with salt and additional pepper.

Place the artichokes in a baking dish and add enough water to cover the bottom halves of the artichokes. Cover the pan with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for

1 hour and 15 minutes, until artichokes are cooked through. Check for tenderness by removing a leaf or two after l hour and tasting. If the water level drops to less than 1/2 inch while cooking, add more.

Remove from the oven and increase the heat to broil. Take off the foil and place the artichokes under the broiler until the bread-crumb topping has browned, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Place the artichokes on a serving platter and spoon 2 to 4 tablespoons of the pan juices over each artichoke.

Serves 4
Excerpted from Patsy's Cookbook: Classic Italian Recipes from a New York City Landmark Restaurant by Sal J. Scognamillo Foreword by Nancy Sinatra
Copyright 2002 by Sal J. Scognamillo Foreword by Nancy Sinatra. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.