Artichoke Parmigiana

To prepare artichoke parmigiana, shred the fiordilatte in a colander 1, so it loses its whey. Cover with plastic wrap 2 and let it sit for half an hour. Meanwhile, clean the artichokes by removing the outer, tougher leaves 3.

Peel the stem (shorten it if it is very long) 4 and cut off the tips 5. Cut them in half and remove the choke 6.

Slice them into fairly thick slices (just under 1/3 inch) 7 and place the cut artichokes in acidulated water to prevent them from browning. Sauté a splash of oil with crushed garlic in a pan 8. Then add the artichokes 9.

Salt them 10 and first brown them over high heat. When they are flavored and start to color, lower the heat, cover with a lid 11 and continue cooking for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will not be necessary to add water since the artichokes will cook in their own moisture. If you open the lid too often or do not cover them at all, it will take longer and you might need to add water occasionally. Once ready, set the cooked artichokes aside 12.

Cut the scamorza into thin slices 13. Place a generous third of the artichokes on the bottom of a 7 x 9 1/2 inch baking dish 14, and cover with the scamorza 15.

Add a generous third of the fiordilatte 16, and do the same with the Grana Padano PDO and some basil leaves 17, season with pepper to taste 18.

Repeat with a second identical layer: artichokes 19 and cheeses 20. Then make a final layer with fewer artichokes and add the remaining cheeses 21 without completely covering the wedges.

Press lightly with your hands and finish with a splash of oil 22 and a grind of pepper. Bake in a static oven at 355°F for 25 minutes, then broil for a few minutes (the time depends on the grill's temperature, from 2 to 5 minutes for a nice golden color) 23. Let the artichoke parmigiana set for a few minutes before serving with fresh basil leaves 24.