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Italian Cuisine Expert and Food Blogger
Guido Pedrelli
Guido Pedrelli, the mastermind behind Nonna Box, has honed his culinary expertise for decades, inspired by family feasts in Emilia-Romagna. Mentored by his restaurateur nonna, he mastered Italian classics and furthered his skills with professional culinary studies in desserts and gelato making from Mec3. Today, he shares this rich legacy and authentic recipes through Nonna Box.
Italians love artichokes. Throughout Italy, there are so many dishes with artichokes and they vary by region. You can find the famous Roman artichokes deliciously prepared in the Jewish Ghetto in Rome and you can find beautiful violet ones in Sicily. Just like in Italy’s famous outdoor markets, you can find them fresh in the farmer’s markets here in America.
I was at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market and saw a stand with the most beautiful violet artichokes that reminded me of Nonna’s stories about a feast in Ramacca, Sicily when she was a little girl. Her grandmother was from there, which is a small village in beautiful Catania, that produces the Violetto artichoke. It goes well with smoked cheeses, baked with Paccheri, and stuffed with meats and breadcrumbs.
In my family for generations: “Pappadelle with fresh Artichokes, Fava beans, and Prosciutto.” My Nonna would make it for me when I was a little boy, and I have such fond memories of her in the kitchen preparing the violet artichokes and shucking the fresh fava beans from their pods, then making the fresh pasta by hand and serving this delicious dish to us.
With my lucky purchase fresh from the farm, I made this incredibly flavorful and healthy dish.
Don’t be afraid of cleaning fresh artichokes, it’s much easier than you think. Just take your time and use a sharp, serrated knife and you will see the violet color pop from the inside. If you haven’t made fresh pasta before, this is a perfect time to start.
Pappardelle is one of the easiest to make, and it makes the difference in taste and texture, and it only takes a few minutes to master. This dish will definitely impress your friends and family, when you say you made the pasta from scratch, and because it is so flavorful and delicious.
