Cardoon Parmesan

Cardoon parmesan is a variation of the classic eggplant dish, but with a decidedly unique flavor given by the cardoon. Here is the recipe for preparing delicious cardoon parmesan.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of cardoons
• Flour, as needed for dusting
• Oil for frying
• 300 g of tomato puree
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 200 g of mozzarella (or a similar stretchy cheese)
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh basil
• Eggs (optional, for a thicker batter)

Preparation

1. Clean the cardoons by removing the toughest and most fibrous outer ribs and cut them into about 10 cm pieces. Be sure to soak the cardoon pieces in lemon or vinegar water to prevent them from darkening.
2. Boil the cardoons in salted water until they are soft but still al dente. Drain well.
3. If you decide to use eggs, beat them in a bowl with salt and pepper. Dip the cardoons in the egg and then in the flour. If you do not use eggs, pass them directly in the flour.
4. Fry the cardoons in hot oil until golden and crispy. Drain them and place on paper towels to remove excess oil.
5. In a pan, sauté the garlic cloves in extra virgin olive oil, add the tomato puree, salt, pepper and cook for about 15 minutes. Add a few basil leaves towards the end of cooking.
6. In a baking dish, create a first layer of fried cardoons, then pour some tomato sauce over and sprinkle with chopped mozzarella and grated Parmesan.
7. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used up, ending with a final layer of sauce and Parmesan.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20-25 minutes or until the surface is golden and the mozzarella is well melted.

Serve the cardoon parmesan hot or warm; it is also excellent the day after.

Curiosity

Cardoon is an uncommon ingredient outside of Italy, but in some Italian regions, it is highly appreciated and used in various ways, especially in traditional winter recipes.