A typical Maltese dish to enjoy with some Maltese bread! We tend to cook this during lent in our family. There are many variants of this recipe. Some use a parsley filling, others use breadcrumbs or stale bread…
So here is our family’s version of stuffed artichokes. Feel free to share with us your version of stuffed artichokes!

INGREDIENTS (INGREDJENTI):
- Two large artichokes (2 qaqoċċiet imdaqqsin)
- 10 Olives (10 żebbuġiet)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (2 mgħaref żejt taż-żebbuġa)
- 2 garlic cloves sliced (2 sinniet tewm imqatta’)
- Hand full of capers (Ponn kappar)
- 2 anchovies chopped (2 biċċiet inċova imqatta’)
- Parsley bunch chopped (Tursin imqatta’)
- Sundried tomatoes 4 chopped (4 tadamiet imqadda jekk tiggustahom)
- Salt and pepper (Melħ u bżar)
- 4 potatoes quartered (4 patatiet imqatta’ f’erbgħa)
- 3 tablespoons vinegar (3 mgħaref ħall)
- Tomato paste, canned tuna (optional) and olive oil to serve (kunserva, tonn taż-żejt jekk trid u żejt taż-żebbuġa)
METHOD (METODU):
- Cut the top of the artichokes to remove the top part of most of top leaves. Aqta’ l-biċċa ta’ fuq tal-qaqożż u neħħi l-biċċa ta’ fuq tal-weraq.
- Mix together all ingredients (except the potatoes – leave them aside) to create the parsley mixture. Ħallat flimkien l-ingredjenti kollha minbarra l-patata biex tagħmel it-taħlita.
- Place the parsley mixture into the artichoke trying to fill it as much as possible. Poġġi t-taħlita fil-qaqoċċ u prova imlihom kemm tista’.
- In a large pot place the potatoes and artichokes with the stem at the bottom. Ġo borma mdaqqsa poġġi l-patata u l-qaqoċċ wiccu ‘l fuq.
- Fill the pot with water to almost the top of the artichoke. Imla’ l-borma bl-ilma sakemm tgħatti l-qaqoċċ.
- Bring to boil and then simmer slowly for 1 hr. Ħallih jgħali u wara jtektek għal madwar siegħa.
- Serve the artichokes with the potatoes, Maltese bread with tomato paste, canned tuna (optional) and olive oil. Servi l-qaqoċċ bil-patata, kisra ħobż tal-Malti bil-kunserva, bott tonn taż-żejt u żejt taż-żebbuga.