Spring! And roast artichokes

Here in Rome the cherry trees are blossoming, a magnolia tree down the road is bursting in flower and spring is officially here. People are still bundled up, as the mornings can be cool, but on sunny days it is just glorious. The sidewalks are full of people chatting, the coffee bars still have extra tables outside where people linger over coffee over a spritz, and it is busy. Just lovely.

It is still artichoke season, which is wonderful. They are piled up at markets and vegetable shops, and are everywhere on menus: carciofi alla giudia, deepfried; carciofi alla romana, braised with garlic, olive oil, parsley and mentuccia (lesser calamint). Artichokes might tucked in to a plate of carbonara con carciofi, or served with lamb offal (coratella con carciofi). It takes practice and confidence to clean artichokes: cutting back the external leaves enough, but not too much. Fortunately most vegetable sellers will sell them ready-cleaned, a bag of 4-5 artichokes ready to cook, which lowers the threshold considerably.

We had a friend visiting from UK, who really enjoyed the local market. This is the “new” one on Via Rosa Guarnieri Carducci, which was refurbished a few years ago and now keeps getting better. We bought large knobbly bell peppers, shiny zucchini, and glossy eggplants to roast. We also bought fresh fava beans and pecorino romano cheese, usually a May Day picnic snack but fun to try for visitors. And we bought artichokes, cleaned on request as we paid for armfuls of vegetables while elbow to elbow with other market shoppers and chatting to neighbours. “I can’t believe this is your Saturday!” said our visitor, as we later sat in the sunshine eating pasta. Well, some Saturdays are like that.

Roast artichokes

• 4 artichokes, ready cleaned
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 30 g of grated pecorino cheese
• 40 g of breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper
• 30 g of grated pecorino cheese

Heat oven to 190C. Boil the cleaned artichokes whole in salted water for ten minutes, until they are cooked but still a little crunchy, Prepare an oven proof dish that will fit the sliced artichoke halves in a single layer. Slice them in two lengthwise while still hot. In a shallow dish, mix the breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and the rated cheese. Dip the artichoke halves in the breadcrumbs and nestle them into the dish. Drizzle olive oil on and around them, packing on a little leftover breadcrumbs if you want. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes or so. Serve with crisp white wine. Once roasted these are also very nice at room temperature the next day.

Fall is here: time for broccoli soup

Suddenly is it fall in Rome: last week the temperature dropped and it is cool at night, though lovely daytime. Piazzas are fully of people having lunch in the sunshine, while in the evening outdoor apertivi are still going strong while young teenagers zip by on electric scooters. The balcony boxes have been replanted with azaleas and cyclamen. We have been doing our cambia di stagione at home: putting away summer clothes, pulling out warmer things to wear, dismantling floor fans after wiping off the summer dust and unearthing duvets. I was very ready for cooler weather, no complaints here. Life still feels a bit in limbo, especially after summer holidays, so having a proper change of season is quite nice.

We collected our vegetable box last week which included pumpkin, salad and a massive bag of mystery greens: spinach, beet, rughetta, kale, cicoria and a small cold snail. Normally I would make a frittta or have it ripassata in padella (lightly boiled, then drained and reheated in a frying pan with oil, garlic and chilli flakes). But now I need to plan for the occasional office lunch, as we are now back in the office two days a week, with masks and distancing. Aha – soup! I had been meaning to make Nigella’s Pea and broccoli soup with mint for ages, or possibly a broccoli-blue cheese soup. Time to rescue some of the least-wilted greens and make a basic green soup. With a thermos of soup and some crispbread on the side, this should do nicely for lunch tomorrow.

Broccoli, greens and pea soup

1 onion, peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp butter or oil
500 gr broccoli, fresh or frozen
2 potatoes, peeled
100 gr mixed and washed greens (spinach, beet, salad, rughetta, kale)
250 gr frozen peas
1.25 litre vegetable stock
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Chop the garlic and onion. Heat butter or oil in a roomy saucepan, and gently fry the onions until soft. Chop the broccoli into florets – it does not need to be very fine as the soup will be blended after cooking. Add stock and bring to boil. Add chopped potatoes (optional, but it gives a bit more body) and peas and greens. Add salt and pepper. Boil with lid on until broccoli is soft (less than ten minutes) then blitz the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until smooth. Add more salt if needed. Serve warm. A little chopped basil or other herbs might be nice too.

Speaking of green, the green pass (a coronavirus health pass) is now mandatory for all workers in Italy from 15 October, so there have been some rallies against that. The green pass is also required for eating inside restaurants, and to access museums, theatres and cinemas, and for planes and long-distance trains. Generally people seem OK with it, and it feels much safer now – we still wear masks in shops and when near others outside, but life is a more normal and tourists are coming back. We even have a friend coming to visit next month. We are cautious, but more optimistic.

Fontana della Carlotta and Scala degli Innamorati, Garbatella.

Tuna orzo salad for a hot Sunday

Almost July, and all is well. It is a warm dry day here in Garbatella, and the streets are deserted and quiet. People have left for daytrips and weekends at the seaside: Ostia, Santa Marinella, Sabaudia, the Isole Pontine. Last night we were up on the condominium roof terrace watching Italy play Austria, and roars were echoing across the nightime sky for every close chance. (Yes, Italy won, which is a continued great morale booster.) There is optimism in the air.

All of Italy is in the white zone from tomorrow, which means the only rules that still have to be observed are to maintain a safe distance and avoid crowds. Wearing masks will be optional, which will be strange. We’ll see how it goes. Vaccination numbers are good so far, the roll-out has been impressive here. Now we are waiting for the digital EU COVID-19 vaccination passport to see if we might be able to travel home to safely see family after 18 months away. Lots of variables but we are crossing fingers, and are still being cautious. I hope things are better also on your side.

This was lunch today: an assembly of items for a summer lunch salad. Adjust amounts to what you have. It’s warm here (maybe 33C) but after four years of heat and humidity in Accra I have no complaints about Roman summers.

Tuna orzo salad with celery

• 1.5 cup orzo perlato (pearl barley)
• medium tin good tuna in oil
• 4-5 stalks celery, chopped
• salt, pepper
• 2 tbs good olive oil
• 230 gr tinned cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
• 230 gr tinned borlotti beans (drained and rinsed)

Boil the pearl barley in salted water for 15 min or so, until cooked. Drain. In the interim, assemble other ingredients and toss. I used a little smoked Spanish olive oil as well, for some extra pizazz. Fresh parley would be nice here too. Chill and eat later, or just enjoy at room temperature.

A new mural In Garbatella was unveiled a couple weeks ago: this is Alberto Sordi, a famous and much-loved Italian actor. He lived just around the corner as a child.

•