Ciaudedda Lucana

Ingredients

• 200 g pancetta, cut into lardons
• 4 globe artichokes, trimmed to the hearts, choke removed, quartered
• 400 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 500 g fresh broad beans, double-podded — outer pod and inner skin removed
• 6 spring onions, trimmed and halved lengthways
• 150 g wild asparagus tips, or cultivated asparagus tips; tips only
• 120 ml dry white wine
• 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra raw oil to finish

Method

1. 1
   Place the pancetta lardons in a wide, heavy-lidded pot over medium heat with no added fat. Render until the fat runs freely and the lardons begin to colour at their edges. The base fat is ready when the bottom of the pot is visibly glossy and the pancetta smells smoky and sweet.
2. 2
   Pour in the olive oil and raise the heat briefly. Add the artichoke quarters. Turn to coat in the fat, then reduce the heat to low. Pour in the white wine; it will lift the rendered fat from the base. Cover and braise gently. The artichokes are ready to receive the next vegetables when a knife tip meets only slight resistance and the wine has reduced by half.
3. 3
   Add the potato chunks. Stir once to coat. Replace the lid. The potatoes are ready to receive the next vegetables when their cut surfaces have turned from raw white to faintly translucent at the edges — approximately 10 minutes at a maintained low simmer.
4. 4
   Add the double-podded broad beans. Stir gently. Replace the lid and continue the covered braise. This is the step on which the dish lives or dies: the vegetables must be semi-submerged in the combined oil, wine, and vegetable liquid at all times — if the pot appears dry, add a small splash of water; if the heat is too high the beans burst and the artichokes collapse into threads. The braise is correct when the broad beans are just tender throughout and the pot holds a fragrant, unified liquor rather than separated fat.
5. 5
   Add the spring onions. Replace the lid for a further few minutes until they have softened and lost their raw sharpness but still hold their shape — confirmed by pressing one gently against the side of the pot with a spoon.
6. 6
   Add the asparagus tips. Replace the lid for 3 to 4 minutes maximum. Remove the lid: the tips must be bright green and just yielding — a tip pressed between two fingers should bend without snapping. Remove from heat immediately.
7. 7
   Allow the pot to rest, uncovered, until the stew reaches room temperature. Transfer to a serving dish or serve directly from the pot. Finish with a generous drizzle of raw extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with crusty Matera bread.