I got this recipe from Guido Pezzini, the patriarch at Pezzini Farms in Castroville, California, who claims that just about every dish his mother cooked included artichokes in some form. This soup is one of his favorites. The Pezzinis are a delightful and caring family, with Sean, the grandson, as the next generation in training.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 quarts

　　5 medium (or 10 baby) artichokes

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 3/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

　　2 leeks, white and pale-green parts, sliced, washed well (about 4 cups)

　　3 shallots, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

　　6 garlic cloves, chopped

　　1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

　　1 fresh bay leaf

　　1 tablespoon kosher salt

　　1/8 teaspoon peperoncino flakes

　　4 quarts cold water

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　Grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

　　

Step 1

Clean and prepare the artichokes as detailed on page 18. Put artichokes in a serving bowl and toss with the lemon juice.

　　

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, and cook until they begin to stick to the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Add the leeks and shallots, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Sprinkle in the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and peperoncino. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Add the prepped, drained artichokes, and bring the soup to a rapid simmering. Cook, uncovered, until potatoes and artichokes are tender and the potatoes have broken down to thicken the soup, about 1 1/2 hours.

　　

Step 4

Stir in the chopped parsley, and serve the soup with grated cheese.

　　Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.