To prepare the broth: let the vegetables and parsley simmer in a saucepan with the water and salt over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes, then remove them and filter the broth. Wash the peas, broad beans and lettuce, then pat them dry. Clean and thinly slice the onions. Clean the artichokes: use a sharp knife to shorten the stalks, leaving a piece roughly 5 cm long; remove the outer, tougher petals; cut off the tip, the external part around the base below the petals, and the outside of the stalk. Cut the artichokes in half and if you find the “hairy” choke inside remove that as well, then slice them thinly and put them in water and lemon juice to soak. Cut the guanciale into strips and sauté it in a heavy-bottomed pan with the oil, add the onions and, after a few minutes, the artichokes (strained and patted dry with a clean tea towel), broad beans and peas. Pour in enough vegetable broth to just cover everything, and cook for about 20 minutes over a moderate heat. Halfway through cooking, add the lettuce leaves torn up by hand and stir from time to time. When the Vignarola is cooked (the liquid should have almost completely evaporated), taste it and season with salt if necessary. Garnish with the mint leaves, add a drizzle of olive oil and some freshly-ground pepper, and serve while nice and hot.
Vignarola is a quintessentially spring dish that belongs to the culinary tradition of Rome and the region of Lazio. The name of this dish seems to originate from the “vignaroli”, people who sold fruit and vegetables in Roman markets, or from the name given to the food that farmers brought home while working in the “vigne” (= vineyards).