*Our man in Rome is at it again, cooking up food, shooting it, and sharing the spoils. Alibaba’s been on a fava bean kick this week, but here, he breaks out an original recipe for another in-season veggie…

I’m not so sure this recipe is really Italian, having brie as a main accompaniment to the artichokes, but it turned out so well that I wanted to share it with you anyway. Rather than dip your artichoke leaves in butter, aioli or other sauce, bake a creamy-crunchy brie-spiked sauce right on top and let the goodness ooze all over. Sound like a plan?

It’s a very easy recipe, but you have to make sure the brie you’re using is top quality, otherwise it won’t be as tasty. Use a lot of thyme and lots of almonds for extra flavor and crunchiness!