1. Cut off the sharp tips of the artichoke leaves. When you get to the top where it's hard to cut them individually, level it off with a sharp knife so it's flat across the top. Also cut the stem so it's level - you'll want to stand them up in the oven eventually.
2. I boil the artichokes for about 15-20 minutes depending on how large they are. You want the leaves to pull off without a fight, but don't overcook the artichoke!
3. Drain the artichokes from the boiling water and rinse with very cold water to stop them from continuing to cook. Squeeze out excess liquid and let them dry out a bit before stuffing. Preheat the oven to 350.
4. Meanwhile, mix up your stuffing. You can use regular Italian breadcrumbs, any variation you like, or something like quinoa. When I want to be healthier I use quinoa but it's not my favorite for this recipe. I tend to use whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs which are lighter. I season them myself with fresh and dried herbs - oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary - whatever you want. I also mix in grated parmesan. Measurements are about 1/3 cup breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup parmesan for each artichoke. Season with salt and pepper, maybe a tiny (tiny) bit of cayenne if you want a kick.
5. Once you have your mixture, drizzle with olive oil and blend so that it's not entirely dry.
5. Use a teaspoon to scoop some stuffing mixture into every artichoke leaf. You'll want to expand the leaves away from the center just enough for the stuffing to sit inside the leaves. I make sure to fill every single leaf. Toward the top it gets tricky; sometimes I spoon the stuffing into the center cavity but do that last. Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella across the top (you can include this with the stuffing mixture if you want it really cheesy).
6. You have to gauge whether the stuffed artichokes need more of a finishing drizzle of olive oil before cooking.
7. Arrange the artichokes snugly into some kind of baking dish. I often use a meatloaf pan because it's tall enough to hold them upright. Put 1/4 inch water at the bottom of the dish.
8. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I usually cover with aluminum foil for the first 15-20 minutes and then remove to get the cheese browned for the last 10 minutes.
Enjoy!
(Hopefully these instructions are clear enough - it's not an exact science (like all cooking) and you can't really mess it up.) If you need help finding your way to the artichoke heart after eating all the leaves, let me know. :-)
