Recipe by Chef Philip Gagliano

Makes 18—20 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 artichokes
• 12 cups fine bread crumbs (grated Italian or French bread)
• 3/4 cup fresh garlic, finely minced
• 2 1/2 cups Romano cheese, finely grated
• 1 1/4 cups Italian parsley, fresh minced
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups virgin olive oil
• 1 fresh lemon, thinly sliced
• Extra Romano cheese

Instructions:

Slice the top 1/2-inch to 1-inch off the artichoke, then with kitchen shears, snip off the points of each leaf where the stickers are. Open the artichokes by pulling the leaves apart. Soak them in salt water for 20 minutes to tenderize and clean. Remove them from the salt water and rinse well; then turn them upside down on paper towels to dry. Mix the next six ingredients together. Pull open each artichoke leaf and stuff until very full. Place a thin slice of lemon and a

sprinkle of the extra Romano cheese on top of each artichoke. Place them in a 4-inch deep pan with water 1/2 way to the top of the pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook to the internal temperature of 300 degrees (or about 2 1/2 hours) and they are tender. Remove them and serve hot or cold.