Braised artichokes, peas and broad beans.

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I celebrated the arrival of tender pods of peas at the market by eating about a kilo straight from the paper bag, cracking open each pod, running my thumb along the pleasingly furry inside to release the tiny green balls before shoving them in my mouth greedily while I walked home from the market. Rather like bowls of pistachio nuts, bags of peas in their pods cast a particularly hypnotic spell over me, everything melts away into insignificance as I am compelled to eat as many as possible in the shortest possible amount of time. I can never get them open quickly enough, my enthusiastic shelling and podding sending nuts and peas flying all over the place.

I anticipated my lack of control and bought 2 kilos.

I also bought 7 artichokes and a bag of broad beans………

While I set about trimming the artichokes, Vincenzo podded and then guarded the peas and beans - I am not to be trusted you see, oops 56 peas just jumped in my mouth, I was helpless.

In Sicily they call this braised trio of artichokes, peas and broad beans Frittella (or frittedda). In Rome with the addition of pancetta and lettuce it is called Vignarola.

I first ate Frittella in Sicily and then learned to make it with Vincenzo’s Sicilian Mum, Carmella. You soften a white onion in some olive oil before adding thinly sliced artichokes, a glug of wine and another of water before covering the pan and letting everything simmer, soften and the water evaporate away for about 15minutes. Then you add the tender peas and broad beans, another glug of water and leave for another 15 minutes.  A handful of coarsely chopped parsley, maybe some salty capers and appropriate quantities of salt and black pepper are stirred in at the last minute.

Then I ate Vignarola in Rome, made in much the same way but some finely chopped pancetta is softened with the onion and some coarsely chopped lettuce leaves added alongside the trio.

Both are delicious, but maybe the Vignarola has the edge for me – that will be the pancetta. However you decide to make it, the time is now (in Rome at least) when peas, broad beans and artichokes are at their tender, youthful best.

My recipe nods energetically to both versions in that it’s Carmella’s recipe for frittella rolling around my head when I cook, but with thoughts of Vignarola as I add the pancetta.

I fear I am beginning to sound a little repetitive with my serving suggestions or should I say serving suggestion of nice fresh bread. It’s not really very imaginative but it’s how we eat most things around here. We sometimes have a lump of salty Pecorino Romano with this or on a special day we have it alongside a couple of tiny, pink lamb chops. I am sure this would go beautifully with many many things.

Braised artichokes, peas and broad beans

serves 4 – 6

• 4tbsp olive oil
• 60g pancetta diced
• 1 medium white sweet onion
• 5 small artichokes, trimmed and cut into 1cm wedges and kept in a bowl of water with the juice of half a lemon
• a lemon
• 400g freshly podded peas
• 400g freshly podded broad beans
• handful of coarsely chopped parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare your artichokes.

Shell your peas and broad beans (or get someone else to do it )

In a large heavy bottomed pan or deep frying pan with a lid warm the olive olive oil and add the pancetta, allow it to sizzle a little and release some of its fat and then add the sliced onion. Cook the onion and pancetta over a gentle flame until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the artichoke wedges to the pan. stir well to coat each one with oil and then raise the heat slightly and add a glug of dry white wine (I reckon my glug is about 75ml) let it sizzle and then add the same quantity of water.

Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pan tightly and allow the artichokes to steam and cook away for 15minutes.

Add the peas and broad beans and another glug of water if things are looking dry, stir firmly, recover the pan and leave to simmer and steam for another 15 minutes.

Once the artichokes are suitably tender, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir in a handful of coarsely chopped parsley.

Allow the Frittella to settle for about 15minutes before serving.

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