Italian Stuffed Artichokes (Edit recipe)

Prepare the artichokes

1. Rinse and cut the stalk at the base of the artichoke so it will lay flat with the leaves pointing up. If necessary you can remove a few of the leaves to get it to stand on it's own. Next turn the artichoke on its side and slice through it to remove the thorny tips, approximately halfway down the artichoke. (See photos) If the remaining tips are thorny you can cut each one with scissors.

Prepare the stuffing

1. In a medium size bowl add the Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, diced egg, Genoa salami, mozzarella, fresh parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Stuff the artichoke

1. Stand the artichoke up and gently loosen the leaves all the way around so you can add the stuffing. Once the leaves are loose fill in all the spaces with the stuffing mixture, turning the artichoke as needed until all the mixture is used up. If the artichokes are full you can simply add the remaining stuffing on top of the artichoke.
2. Drizzle each artichoke top liberally with olive oil.
3. Once the artichokes are stuffed place them in a dutch oven and fill with water about halfway up the artichoke. Cover and simmer for about 45 min. Check periodically to make sure there is still water in the pot, if needed you can add more water.
4. Test the artichoke for doneness by gently pulling on a leaf, it should release easily, if it does not continue to cook for several more minutes. Once leaf releases taste the artichoke leaf for tenderness, if it's tender then they are done.

How to eat the artichoke

1. Place artichoke on a plate and gently pull on each leaf, scrape the bottom half of the artichoke with your teeth.
2. Once you reach the center of the artichoke, discard the fuzzy center by scooping it out with a spoon. You can then eat the bottom of the artichoke with a sprinkling of salt.