Artichoke Tart with Gooey Center
- Energy Kcal 782
- Carbohydrates g 38.5
- of which sugars g 8.7
- Protein g 32.8
- Fats g 55.2
- of which saturated fat g 27.42
- Fiber g 13.4
- Cholesterol mg 341
- Sodium mg 1395
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Prep time: 40 min
- Cook time: 40 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Low
- Note + resting the shortcrust pastry in the refrigerator
PRESENTATION
Artichoke tortino is this really really good dish from Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Northern Italy. And honestly, this region's all about its rich dairy and creamy cheeses. Pretty amazing stuff. What makes this dish stand out? It's got a melted center and a tender, custardy interior. Basically, it's a perfect blend of ricotta, artichokes and Montasio cheese. Montasio, you know, a local favorite, melts into this enveloping fondue on top—seriously good. Each bite? Super tasty. The smoky kick from guanciale? Sets it apart from your typical artichoke tart or even an artichoke omelette.
And here's the thing, when artichokes are off-season, folks often swap in spinach or zucchini. But really, the classic combination shines with the deep, earthy taste of artichokes paired with the salty richness of guanciale. The dish is both elegant and relaxed—awesome for a dinner party starter or a chill weekend meal.
Unlike an artichoke frittata or an artichoke quiche, the tortino's got a thicker, more golden crust. And the melted center? Oh, it just oozes when you slice it. The crispy edges contrast with the soft, creamy filling. You know, ensuring each bite is a really good mix of textures.
In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, it's all about balance and fresh, seasonal ingredients, keeping the dish exciting year-round. Serve it with a simple salad, and it doubles as an artichoke appetizer or a hearty artichoke main course. The combo of ricotta and Montasio cheese really shows off the region's flavors, turning a simple artichoke egg dish into something special.
Bringing a taste of Northern Italy to your table, this dish is a local favorite. And once you experience that creamy, melty center, you'll get why so many cherish it. For real.
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INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the pastry
- Cow's milk ricotta cheese ½ cup (125 g)
- Type 00 flour 1 ¼ cup (150 g)
- Butter 6.3 tbsp (90 g) - cold
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- For the filling
- Artichokes 10
- Pecorino cheese 2 oz (60 g) - to be grated
- Jowls 1.8 oz (50 g) - approximately 1 3/4 ounces
- Scamorza (provola) cheese 1.5 oz (40 g)
- Eggs 1 - medium
- Garlic 1 clove
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Lemons 1
- For the fonduta
- Montasio cheese 5.3 oz (150 g) - Approximately 5 1/4 ounces (rounded for easy reading)
- Whole milk 0.6 cup (150 g)
- Black pepper to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- For brushing
- Eggs 1
How to prepare Artichoke Tart with Gooey Center
To prepare the artichoke mini tarts with a gooey center, start with the pastry: in a food processor place the cold butter cut into pieces, the sifted flour and a pinch of salt (add a pinch of pepper if you like) 1; pulse the processor to obtain a sandy texture 2, then transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the ricotta 3.
Quickly knead to combine the ingredients 4, transfer the dough to a work surface and handle it only long enough to make it smooth, homogeneous and compact 5. Shape into a disk, flatten it slightly and wrap it in plastic wrap 6. Refrigerate to firm up for at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: clean the artichokes (you can consult the cooking school sheet: How to clean artichokes), removing the outer leaves until you reach the lighter ones 7, then cut off almost all of the stem and remove the stringy part of the remainder with a vegetable peeler 8; rub the artichokes with half a lemon to prevent them from darkening 9.
Then trim off the tips 10 and halve each artichoke heart 11; remove the choke with the tip of a knife 12.
Slice them into julienne 13; place them in a bowl with acidulated water. Then cut the guanciale into small pieces 14, reserving 4 thin rectangles for the final decoration. Brown the guanciale pieces in a large skillet with a clove of garlic and a drizzle of olive oil 15.
When browned, add the artichokes 16, season with salt and pepper to taste and stew them for at least 20 minutes, covered with a lid. Once tender 17, remove from the heat and transfer them to the bowl of a food processor; add the grated Pecorino 18.
Pulse the blades to chop the ingredients, then add the egg 19 and process again until you obtain a smooth cream 20. Put the mixture into a piping bag; then take the pastry dough and roll it out into a thin sheet about 1/4 inch thick 21.
With a 2 3/4-inch diameter round cutter, cut 4 discs 22 that will be the bottoms of the tarts, while with a fluted cutter cut 4 strips 2 3/4 inches wide and 8 inches long 23. Butter and line with parchment paper molds with a capacity of 160 ml (about 5.4 fl oz): place the pastry discs on the bottom and use the strips to line the inner side of the molds 34, trimming the excess dough but leaving the pastry to overhang by about 1/4 inch; you will form pleats that will then decorate the tart.
Put a little artichoke cream and a few small cubes of scamorza on the bottom 25, then fill further with the cream 26 up to the rim of the molds. Place the filled tart molds on a baking sheet and brush the edges with a beaten egg 27. Bake in a static (conventional) oven preheated to 356°F for 30 minutes (if using a fan (convection) oven, 320°F for 20–25 minutes).
While the tarts bake, prepare the fonduta: finely chop the Montasio cheese in a food processor 28; in a small saucepan heat the milk over low heat and when it is just about to boil, remove from the heat and add the chopped Montasio 29, stirring with a whisk until it melts 30.
Add pepper to taste 31 to finish the fonduta. When the tarts are cooked, remove them from the oven and unmold them 32. Now you can serve the tarts: on serving plates spread a smear of the fonduta, place the tart on top and garnish with a few slices of artichoke and guanciale 33. Your artichoke tarts with a gooey center are ready to enjoy!