OVEN-ROASTED BACCALA' (BACCALA' ARROSTO)

Ingredients:

5 to 6 large chunks of presoaked baccala'

2 cloves of chopped garlic

Sprig of parsley

2 dry red chilis

1/4 extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

burned chilis

Prepare and soak your baccala' at least 3 days prior.  

Soaking baccala'

Preheat oven 375˚F.   Dry the pieces of baccala'.

Grease a baking pan with 2 tablespoons of oil.  Place the baccala' in the pan and bake for 30 minutes or so depending on the thickness.

In the meantime, briefly burn the chilis over flame for few seconds.

Once the baccala' is roasted, brake it into smaller pieces.  Add the parsley, chopped garlic, chopped chilis, salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil.

Serve warm alone or you may accompany the baccala' salad with some sautéed escarole.

Roasted baccala' with escarole

 

ESCAROLE - Also know as Scarola and Endive

If you enjoy Italian food, you might have already encountered escarole — a leafy, bitter green that looks a lot like lettuce.  There are two types of escarole, narrow-leaved escarole called curly escarole and a broad-leaved escarole. The outside leaves of an escarole head are green and bitter.

Broad leaved escarole

Curly escarole

The darker outer leaves are ideal for braising or steaming.  Prepared with olive oil, garlic, red pepper is great alone or as a side dish to meat or fish.

Braised escarole

Sausage and potatoes with braised escarole

Roasted baccala' with a side of braised escarole

Escarole can be used in vegetable soups as in escarole and bean soup.

Escarole adds a nice touch in egg drop soup.

Mix steamed escarole with egg and cheese and add to chicken broth.

Escarole calzone:  Simply roll out half of the dough into an oiled baking tray. Fill with the pre-cooked escarole then cover with the second half of the dough or roll out the dough, spread the pre-cooked escarole over the dough and fold over.  Press the edges and bake.

In my opinion, between the added taste, the versatility of use in various dishes and the nutrients provided in each serving, escarole is an excellent food choice.