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Beneventan Cardoon

17/11/2023

The cardoon, also known as cardoons au gratin in the Benevento style, is a typical dish of the cuisine from Benevento in Campania. It’s a flavorful dish prepared with cardoons, a vegetable with a crunchy texture and a slightly bitter taste, which is gratinated together with a delicious aromatic breadcrumb coating. Here is the recipe to prepare this exquisite specialty.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg of cardoons
  • 100 g of smoked or flat pancetta (optional for a vegetarian version)
  • 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 200 g of breadcrumbs
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Parsley to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Preparation

  1. Cardoon cleaning: Remove the tougher outer leaves of the cardoons, cut off the tips, and then eliminate the lateral filaments. Cut the cardoons into pieces about 10 cm long and immerse them in water with lemon juice to prevent them from blackening.

  2. Cooking the cardoons: Boil a pot of salted water and cook the cardoons until they become tender, which may take about 30 minutes. After cooking, drain and let cool.

  3. Preparing the dressing: In a bowl, beat the eggs with salt and pepper, and in another mix the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan, finely chopped garlic, and parsley.

  4. Assembling the dish: Dip the pieces of cardoon first in the egg mixture and then in the Parmesan-flavored breadcrumb coating. If you opt for the version with pancetta, wrap each piece of cardoon in a slice of pancetta before rolling it in the breadcrumbs.

  5. Baking: Arrange the cardoons in a baking dish greased with extra virgin olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20-30 minutes or until they are well browned.

  6. Serving: Serve the Beneventan cardoons hot, perhaps with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan or a drizzle of raw olive oil.

Curiosity

Cardoon is a winter vegetable much appreciated in Italy, especially during the Christmas holidays. This recipe is a tasty way to put a traditional dish on the table that reflects the simplicity and authenticity of Campanian cuisine. It also fits very well as a side dish for meat mains.

Beneventan Cardoon