ESCAROLE and BEANS - "kick it up a notch" with pancetta

Last night, I made another “poor” dish, Escarole and Beans, a tasty dish that is consumed from the beginning of autumn to spring. It 's a dish that is easy, fast, healthy and very cheap.  In this economic "winter”, it does not hurt to be cheap.

Cooked dry beans, escarole, home-made pancetta

Ingredients

1 lb. dry beans (I like Great Northern Beans)

2 heads of escarole

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1/2 cup olive oil

4 slices hot pancetta (Italian bacon)

1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook beans just like chick peas (See Ceci a la Pignata)

In a large pot, add washed escarole and cook it in its own water by covering pot in a low to medium heat.

In a large pan add oil, saute' chopped garlic until golden, add pancetta and saute' for few minutes until crisp, add hot pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cooked escarole.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Add cooked beans.  Mix well, simmer for few more minutes, and serve.

This dish can be bland.  It's the pancetta that adds the "BAM" "BAM".

Escarole and Beans with Pancetta

Images: ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino -picasaweb