Clean the artichokes; with a sharp knife cut off the spikey tip at least 2 cm from the top, remove all the hardest outer leaves to reach the “heart”; cut a good piece of the stalks as well, and then divide the artichokes into 4 quarters. Soak them in cold water, with the juice of half the lemon in it, for about twenty minutes. Remove them from the water, dry them with kitchen paper and cut each quarter into thin slices; then place them on a plate. Squeeze the remaining half lemon over them, season with salt, oil and some freshly ground pepper (if you like). Decorate the carpaccio with a sprinkling of Parmesan flakes and... buon appetito!

This is simple dish that’s very quick to prepare, but, in artichoke season it’s a real delicacy!