Cardoon Gratin Recipe

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) cardoons, washed with tough outer stem and fibres stripped away
juice of 1/2 a lemon
3 or 4 eggs
about 125 ml (1/2 cup) flour for dusting
about 125 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil for frying
about 30 g (1 oz) butter
500 ml (2cups)
fresh tomato sauce 500 ml (2 cups)
about 60 g (2/3 cup) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

After having prepared the cardoons, preheat the oven to 280°C ( 350°F).

Lightly whip the eggs in a bowl.  Then put some flour onto a flat plate and dust the cardoons in flour on all four sides and dip them into the beaten eggs.

Heat enough olive oil in a pan to come about 2 cm (3/4 in) up he sides. Fry the pieces in batches until golden all over.  Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

Butter an oven dish and arrange the fried cardoons in a single layer. Cover with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake in the hot oven for 10-15 minutes untill well gratinéed at the top.