Verdure Amare con Uvetta e Pinoli
Verdure Amare con Uvetta e Pinoli·(vehr-DOO-reh ah-MAH-reh kohn oo-VEHT-tah eh pee-NOH-lee)
The Sunday Simmer: Sicilian-American Meatball Rituals
If Sunday sauce is the heavy, meat-laden king of the Italian-American weekend, this dish is its saving grace. Back in the old country, grandmothers foraged the slopes of Mount Etna for wild, aggressively bitter weeds. When they arrived in America, they adapted without compromising, turning to the abundant and slightly sweeter heads of escarole found in neighborhood markets. This relies on an ancient Arab-Sicilian agrodolce—sweet and sour—to cut right through the fat of your sausages. Plump raisins, buttery pine nuts, and a stealthy backbone of melted anchovy transform a humble head of lettuce into the thing you’ll end up eating straight out of the pan.
Before you start
Plump the raisins.
Place the raisins in a small bowl, cover them with warm water, and let them soak for 15 minutes before draining well.
Wash the greens.
Drop the chopped escarole into a large basin of cold water, swish vigorously, and let it sit so the sand settles to the bottom.
Lift and save the water.
Use your hands to lift the greens out into a colander, but do not dry them; you need that residual water clinging to the leaves for the braise.
Ingredients
- golden raisins1/3 cup
- pine nuts3 tbsp
- escarole2 large
- extra-virgin olive oil1/4 cup
- garlic cloves3 large
- crushed red pepper flakes1/4 tsp
- anchovy fillets packed in oil4 small
- capers1 tbsp
- black olives1/4 cup
- kosher salt1 pinch
- black pepper1 pinch
Method
- 01
Toast the pine nuts.
Place a large, dry skillet over medium-low heat, add the pine nuts, and toast until fragrant and golden-brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, then remove them to a plate immediately.
- 02
Build the flavor base.
Wipe out the skillet, set over medium heat, and let the garlic sizzle gently in the olive oil until it turns a light, golden blond.
- 03
Melt the anchovies.
Pull the pan off the heat for 30 seconds so the oil cools slightly, then add the red pepper flakes and anchovies, mashing them into a savory paste with a wooden spoon.
- 04
Braise the wet escarole.
Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the dripping wet escarole a few handfuls at a time, using tongs to turn the rapidly wilting greens in the garlicky oil.
- 05
Simmer and marry the flavors.
Once all the escarole is wilted, fold in the drained raisins, toasted pine nuts, capers, and olives, then reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
- 06
Season and serve.
Taste for seasoning, adding a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper to balance the sweetness of the raisins, and serve warm alongside your meatballs.
Notes
The grandmother secret.
Do not boil the greens first, and do not spin them dry after washing; the water clinging to the leaves hits the hot oil to create a natural steam that braises the escarole perfectly.
Don't waste the leftovers.
The next day, toss any leftover escarole directly with short pasta like orecchiette or penne, finishing it with a heavy shower of Pecorino Romano cheese.
Swap the greens if needed.
If your market is out of escarole, Swiss chard works flawlessly; simply chop the stems and start cooking them three minutes before adding the leafy greens.