Crispy Italian Fried Artichoke Hearts
Italian Fried Artichoke Hearts are crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside and have loads of flavor! Savory artichoke hearts are halved then dipped in egg, pecorino and basil, then a homemade, cheesy, seasoned breadcrumb mixture, then fried gently until golden. A delicious, snack, appetizer or side dish!
Servings: 10 servings
Equipment
- Cheese grater (optional)
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- ⅓ cup chopped basil
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 3 Tbsp whole milk
- 3 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts (See Notes.)
- Seasoned Breadcrumbs (See recipe below.)
- Olive or other oil as needed for frying (See Notes.)
- Salt for finishing (salt flakes or coarse salt is preferred; optional)
- Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
- Saffron Aioli, for serving (optional; see recipe in Notes.)
For the Seasoned Breadcrumbs:
- 1½ cups plain breadcrumbs (fine texture)
- ¾ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 4 Tbsp cornstarch or rice flour
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Prep and gather all ingredients according to specifications above. Rinse the artichoke hearts lightly under water, then drain them and pat them dry with paper towels. Cut each heart in half lengthwise.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)3 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts
- Make the seasoned breadcrumbs by mixing all the breadcrumb ingredients together in a large bowl until well-combined. These can be made several hours or days in advance and held in the refrigerator in an airtight bag or container.1½ cups plain breadcrumbs, ¾ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 4 Tbsp cornstarch or rice flour, 1 Tbsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp onion powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- Next, whisk the eggs, basil, cheese and milk together in a large bowl until well-combined.4 large eggs,, ⅓ cup chopped basil, ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 3 Tbsp whole milk
- Place the halved artichoke hearts in the egg mixture and gently mix them so that all pieces are coated well.
- Then, set up a breading station by arranging the following: bowl of artichokes in egg mixture, then shallow bowl (or sheet pan) of seasoned breadcrumbs, then a sheet pan. Using either your hand or a fork/tongs, transfer each piece of artichoke from the egg mixture, one-by-one, to the breadcrumbs and thoroughly coat both sides, gently patting it down to ensure that the breadcrumbs adhere, then place the breaded artichokes on a sheet pan. Continue doing this for all the artichoke pieces.(NOTE: If you are using your hands for this, use one hand for the wet egg mixture and the other for the dry breadcrumb mixture to keep things neater and more streamlined.)
- Meanwhile, add enough oil to a large cast iron or stainless-steel skillet to cover the bottom of the pan by about ½”. Heat the oil over medium heat until bubbles form around a wooden spoon inserted in the oil (about 370-375℉). If the breaded artichokes are placed in the pan before the oil is hot enough, they will absorb too much oil, become soggy and the breading may fall off.
- Gently shake off any excess breadcrumbs from each breaded artichoke heart. Then transfer each piece to the hot oil, one at a time, making sure to not crowd the pan or pile the artichokes. Fry a few pieces at a time–only as many as will fit in one layer. Fry until the breading is golden brown on one side, then turn it over and do the same on the other side. This will only take a few minutes per side. You will need to work in batches and may need to add additional oil during the frying process.
- Once browned and finished, transfer the fried artichoke hearts to a rack placed over a sheet pan with either tongs or a slotted spoon. This will help the pieces to maintain their crispiness rather than placing them on a paper towel.
- Immediately sprinkle the just-fried artichoke hearts very lightly with some salt, if desired. Then, they are ready to eat! In fact, I would be surprised if you didn’t try the first one that was ready–they are so good!
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce and/or lemon wedges for an extra pop of flavor, if desired. See Serving Suggestions above for more serving ideas Buon Appetito!
Notes
- Three (14-ounce) cans of artichoke hearts in brine yielded 30 artichoke heart halves of varying sizes. I figured about three per person for a serving, but this can be more or less based on what else is being served, how large the halves are, and if they are an appetizer or part of a main course, etc. Plan accordingly.
- Do not use marinated artichokes in oil for this recipe. Use artichoke hearts in brine.
- If starting with frozen artichokes, be sure to fully thaw them in the refrigerator before using. Then, proceed with draining and patting them dry.
- If you’ve purchased artichoke halves, you will not need to slice them in half.
- You can make the seasoned breadcrumbs a few hours in advance and hold them at room temperature until using.
- In my experience, salt added to either an egg mixture or breadcrumb mixture for frying usually ends up sinking to the bottom of the mixture and never makes it on to whatever is being breaded. So, I don’t add it at the beginning of the cooking process. Rather, I salt the artichokes lightly once they come out of the frying pan. Much better!
- Plus, keep in mind that pecorino cheese is salty and the artichoke hearts were likely already in a salted brine when purchased.
- You may have extra seasoned breadcrumbs left over. They can be held for several weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight bag or container if they have not touched the artichokes.
- If you’d like to increase the picante, sprinkle a pinch of cayenne pepper into the egg mixture.
- Use either a heat-friendly extra virgin olive oil or a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil, for the pan-frying.
- If you’ve made a double batch and/or have been frying for awhile, the oil may become cloudy and sludgy from all of the residual breadcrumbs and seasonings that have fallen off the artichokes and have burnt. Use your judgment, but, at some point, you may need to clean the pan and start with a fresh amount of oil. Alternatively, you can let the oil cool completely, and then drain it through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a clean container. By doing this, you can reuse the oil.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months. The artichokes will lose their crispiness once refrigerated or frozen, but will still be delicious.
- To reheat the breaded artichoke hearts and crisp them up, place them in an oven proof baking dish or on a sheet pan and bake at 375° for 5 to 7 minutes or until crispy and heated.
