Puntarelle alla Romana
A variant of chicory, this sublime vegetable is on every proper Roman menu at this time of the year. With its elongated bulb shape, light green stems and dandelion shaped leaves, it has beautiful bitter character that comes to life when dressed with the best extra virgin olive oil plus some anchovy, a little garlic, some lemon.
It has the ability to take you on a journey to Rome whenever you taste it.
INGREDIENTS
600g Puntarelle
4 Anchovy filets
1 Garlic clove
½ Lemon squeezed, ½ Lemon for the puntarelle curling
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, we love this with the Riserva Paola Orsini
METHOD
Making Puntarelle alla Romana involves finding the right variety of chicory with its long shoots (in order that it curls properly) and then following a very specific preparation technique. This raw vegetable was a staple in ancient Roman cuisine and is celebrated for its distinct bitter taste.
After careful washing, remove the tougher outer leaves until you have the hearts of the chicory. Finely slice or push through a taglia puntarelle (yes, there is a specific tool for this) and then drop in iced water with half of the lemon. Leave for about 45 minutes and it will begin to curl.
To make the dressing, finely grate or crush and slice the garlic, then transfer to a pestle and mortar and add the anchovy fillets roughly chopped and extra virgin olive oil. Begin to work the dressing into as smooth a paste as you can. Then add the lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste.
Drain the puntarelle, pat dry with kitchen paper and place in a salad bowl. Turn the dressing through thoroughly until the puntarelle are well coated and serve as a side dish or as a starter.