This famous Roman specialty is the only dish widely recognized as Jewish in Italy. I will always remember my pleasure when I first tasted it at Piperno's in the old Roman Ghetto. The restaurant has an artichoke design on its menu, and, I believe, had much to do with popularizing the dish. They serve the crisply fried artichokes, which look like delicate bronze chrysanthemums with curly petals, all the year round; they store them partially cooked in the freezer to serve when artichokes are not in season, because that is what tourists invariably ask for.

This way of cooking artichokes can only work with the special little Roman artichokes that you can eat whole, leaves and all, when they are young and tender (a variety also found in Spain). If you are able to find such artichokes, here is how to prepare them. It is not easy. Roman Jews have a knack.

Squeeze the juice of one to two lemons into a bowl of cold water. To prepare the artichokes, pull off the small outer leaves, and peel and trim the stem. Then, with a sharp knife, cut away the tougher end parts of the leaves, leaving more and more of the leaf as you near the center. With the help of a knife with a rounded end, bend the leaves back like the petals of a flower, then cut away and discard the tiny inner spiky leaves and the fuzzy choke, scraping it off and being careful not to break the artichoke bottom.

Drop each artichoke, as soon as it is pared, into the bowl of acidulated water to prevent the cut parts from discoloring. Leave to soak for a few minutes, then dry them. Now press the artichokes down on a plate, bottoms up and leaves opened out, flattening them as much as you can without breaking them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the artichokes in olive or sunflower oil, over low heat, for about 15 minutes, bottoms up to begin with, then turning them over once. Finally turn them again, leaves down, and raise the heat to very high. When the oil is bubbling, sprinkle cold water over it with your fingers three or four times. This makes the leaves curl up and become crisp and brown. Lift out quickly and drain on paper towels. Serve at once.

Reprinted with permission from the publisher. Copyright (c) 1996 Claudia Roden.