Carciofi Romani

When Andreina Pavani Calcagni turned seventy, she allowed someone else to do almost all the cooking for her birthday party. These delicious artichokes were the only exception—they are her specialty, the dish everyone looks forward to, and she has special tricks to make them both silky and crispy. They remind me of smaller Roman artichokes alla giudea, although these are filled with an herb mixture and are not fried.

Look for young medium-size arti