Ingredients
- 10 fresh artichoke hearts or 12 to 14 fresh baby artichoke hearts, peeled and cleaned
- 4 saffron threads
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 6 to 8 fennel flowers
Preparation
Step 1
Make the artichoke confit: Place the artichoke hearts into a pot and cover with olive oil until completely submerged. Add the saffron threads into the oil and stir. Place the pot over very low heat and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes until the artichokes are tender. Drain the artichokes. Allow the artichokes to cool to room temperature. Set aside.
Step 2
Make the basic challah dough (recipe above). Once the 6 dough balls are shaped into ¼ to ⅛ inch thick rectangles, place equal amounts of the artichoke confit onto the dough rectangles in a horizontal line 1 inch away from the closest edge of the dough rectangles to you. Add ⅓ cup of the Parmesan cheese on top of the artichoke confit in each rectangle. Seal each rectangle into a long log shape by pinching the seam tightly. Place each log with the seam side down on the counter. Braid 3 of the logs into a 3 strand braided challah and repeat, braiding another challah with the remaining 3 logs. Tuck the fennel flowers along the braids of each challah in a spontaneous manner. Transfer each challah onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently cover with a kitchen towel and let the challahs proof for 1 more hour.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F.
Step 4
Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt to make an egg wash. Remove the towels from the challahs. Brush each challah with the egg wash and sprinkle the fennel seeds and remaining parmesan on top.
Step 5
Transfer the challahs into the oven and bake for about 27 to 30 minutes until golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
Step 6
Serve warm.
