Artichoke omelette is a great classic of Ligurian cuisine and not only here! With a few variations it is present in many other regional cuisines and is always very good.
Ideal to serve as a main dish with a good salad or as a starter, it is great to take to the office for the lunch break or in your rucksack for long walks in the open air.
In Liguria, we use local ingredients: the thorny artichokes of Albenga (also known as violet artichokes), fresh eggs, parsley and marjoram. To avoid waste, soak the soft part of some old bread in milk and add it to the mix with grated cheese. Nowadays we use Parmesan but in the past people used whatever was available.
Today we prepare the omelette in a non-stick frying pan. If you are worried about not being able to turn the omelette over without breaking it, follow the recommendations below.
You will find out how to do it very easily!
Ingredients
Tools
Steps
Clean the artichokes, removing the harder outer bracts. Cut in half and remove the beard inside. Cut into thin slices and put them in water acidified with lemon juice for half an hour. This stops the artichokes going dark in colour.
Sauté the sliced onion in extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. After a few minutes, add the artichokes. Add salt and a little water, cover and allow to soften for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and keep to one side.
Meanwhile, soak the bread in the milk.
Chop the parsley and marjoram.
Beat the eggs in a bowl with the Parmesan cheese, the chopped herbs and the bread, squeezed out and reduced to small pieces using your hands. Season with salt and pepper. Then add the warm artichokes and mix.
Heat a lightly greased frying pan, pour the mixture in and distribute it evenly using a spoon or spatula. Cover with the lid and allow the base of the omelette to thicken and set. Then turn it over.
Note: using a silicon spatula, separate the edges of the omelette delicately and slide it carefully onto a large plate. Put a second plate on top, turn over and slide into the frying pan again.
Finish cooking. Dry any excess oil with kitchen paper and serve in slices, warm or at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I cook it in the oven?
You can cook it in the microwave using the crisp function for 15 minutes, using the appropriate plate, or in a conventional oven for 30 minutes at 180°C.
Varied doses for servings