How to make
The dried pepper is soaked in water from the day before. The artichokes are cleaned from the layers of hard leaves around them. You will know when you have reached the tender part when you bend the leaf and it is fragile and breaks.
Cut 0.8″ (2 cm) from the top and if they have stems, also peel them to the lighter core - the stems should be no more than 5 cm long from the base.
Immediately cut each peeled artichoke into quarters and place them in a bowl of water, in which you have previously squeezed the juice of one lemon to prevent oxidation and darkening of the vegetables.
You can steam the artichokes in a special appliance or container until they soften, then season them with salt and sprinkle them with olive oil.
The other option is to boil them in water with a little salt and olive oil - again until they soften (but they shouldn't soften too much, so that they remain whole).
The sauce is made while the artichokes are cooking. The tomatoes and garlic are washed and as they are whole and unpeeled, baked in a preheated oven at 390°F (200 degrees) for 15-20 minutes or until they're nicely browned. Leave them to cool and peel and put them in a blender - this is the base of the sauce.
With a sharp knife scrape the fleshy part from the already hydrated and swollen dried pepper. It is added to tomatoes along with the almonds - raw and peeled, add as much salt as you like and crumbled dry bread. Optionally, you can add hot peppers.
Pour most of the olive oil and blend everything to a smooth consistency, by adding more olive oil, until the desired density is obtain.
The dish is served by placing the desired amount of sauce on the bottom of a deep plate and on top you can arrange the artichoke - hot and strained from the water, if you have boiled them. Place thin slices of bacon on top, lightly baked in a non greased pan.
The Artichokes with Romesco Sauce are ready.
