Clean the artichokes, eliminating the tougher external leaves, the part with spikes and any “fluff” in the centre. Trim them carefully around the outside and, as you prepare them, drop them into a bowl containing water with lemon juice to prevent them from turning black. Peel the potatoes, wash them and cut them into fairly large pieces. Prepare a finely chopped mixture of two cloves of garlic (remove the green shoots in the centre, if they have them) and the parsley leaves (washed and “dried” well). Pour half a glass of olive oil into a heavy-bottomed pan, put it on the stove and add the mixture of chopped garlic and parsley. When it begins to colour, add the well-drained artichokes. Let them cook for 2 or 3 minutes and then add the pieces of potato. Stir, season with salt, cover and cook over a moderate heat. From time to time, remove the lid to check whether the potatoes and the artichokes are cooked through and soft (test delicately with a fork; it should take about twenty minutes). While the vegetables are cooking, you should gradually add a little hot water, bearing in mind however that at the end of the cooking time the dish should be quite dry, and the vegetables cooked but still firm.

This is a classic recipe, perfect for cooking here in our area in the Easter period, when artichokes are “ready” in the vegetable patches, as are the first new potatoes. It’s delicious served with a leg of lamb, the Easter dish par excellence, to be cooked in the oven or in pieces in a pan. The recipe calls for the two kinds of vegetables to be cooked together, but you can use it to prepare a tasty side-dish with just potatoes or, likewise, just artichokes.