cardi

Artichoke-like edible thistles. As a side dish they are baked with tomato and cheese, or fried in breadcrumbs, or put in a minestra or a zuppa di cardi (or cardone) made with flour, butter, olive oil, chicken stock, eggs, and cheese. They are also a popular ingredient in bagna càuda.

In Central Italy cardoons are called gobbi and often baked with onions, celery, milk, eggs and cheese (tortino di gobbi or sformato di gobbi).

Also spelled carducci, cardune or caccociuli.