Fried artichokes (Carciofi alla guidia) or artichokes stuffed with mint, garlic, and breadcrumbs is a typical dish of the Lazio cuisine, in particular of the Judaeo-Romanesque cuisine. It was invented in the city of Rome and, the original recipe basically consists of a fried artichoke.
The traditional Roman cuisine is based on ingredients of rural and peasant origin, of plant and animal origin, prepared according to recipes often handed down from generation to generation in the family.
The Carciofi alla giudia have a very ancient origin, as they are also mentioned in recipes and memories of the 16th century. It is, in fact, a dish of Roman derivation, more precisely born in the Jewish ghetto of the capital. Here, the Jewish housewives, using the Roman' mammola' - the artichoke typical of Lazio - prepared this simple but tasty dish that was eaten especially during the period of the Kippur celebration.
Kippur - also called the festival of atonement - is a day of total fasting, in which you abstain from eating, drinking and any work or entertainment and devote only to meditation and prayer. After 24 hours of fasting, the Jews usually ate artichokes that for this reason they were called' alla giudea'.
If you are in Rome, do not miss this typical dish!