Italian Stuffed Artichokes

This is a good recipe for
stuffed fresh artichokes.
I sprinkle grated Parmagiano
Reggiano cheese over the top
and place briefly under a broiler
until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Ingredients:
1 pound lean sliced bacon
5 cups coarsely-chopped bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups Parmagiano Reggiano, grated
1 1/2 cups Peccorino Romano cheese, grated
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt or to taste.
1 tablespoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon red (cayenne) pepper
6 large artichokes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 slices lemon

Directions:
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat,
fry the bacon until crisp; drain.
Crumble into a large bowl and
add bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese,
Romano cheese, green onions, parsley,
garlic, salt, black pepper,
and cayenne pepper; toss to combine.
Cut about 3/4-inch off the
tops of each artichoke.
With your scissors, snip off the pointed
ends of each artichoke leaf.
Rub a lemon on the cut
ends to prevent browning.
Slice off the stem end of each
artichoke so that they sit up straight.
Spread the leaves of each
artichoke as much as possible,
and pack in a generous amount
of bread stuffing around each artichoke.
Tap each artichoke gently to
let any loose stuffing fall off.
Stand them in a casserole or
roasting pan just large enough
to hold them in a single layer.
Add water to a depth of 1 1/2 inches.
Pour a generous amount of olive oil
over each artichoke, letting it seep in.
Top each artichoke with a slice of lemon.
Bring the water to a boil, cover,
reduce heat to let and steam the
artichokes approximately 1 hour
(depending on size of artichokes)
or until the leaves pull off easily.
Test for doneness by pulling out
a leaf and tasting for tenderness.
Check the water level after 25 minutes,
and add more if necessary.
Serve hot or at room temperature.