Fruit, vegetables and pulses

Terra dei Messapi artichoke

Terra dei Messapi artichoke: the spineless 'ugly' one, made for stuffing

Growers call it the ugly artichoke because its head opens out, yet that loose crown is exactly what makes it so good in the kitchen. A Catanese-type landrace brought from Sicily after the war, it is now grown sustainably by Slow Food Presidium farmers around Ostuni, Carovigno, Ceglie Messapica and nearby towns.

• An open head of green bracts shaded with violet, and not a single spine
• Eaten fresh in winter and spring; small, tender and fleshy in May, at the end of the harvest
• The open crown leaves room for a generous filling: this is an artichoke for stuffing

How to enjoy it. Fill it with cheese, egg, stale bread, mint and a little garlic, then stand it upright in a pan and let it cook slowly in tomato or broth. The small May heads go into jars, under oil or in brine.

Production areas

Apulia

Season

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