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Vegetarian, Italy

Neapolitan stuffed escarole with bread

Neapolitan stuffed escarole is an Italian vegetarian dish for 4 people, ready in 60 minutes, medium difficulty, for €2.50 per serving. Each escarole head is opened like a flower and filled with a sweet and salty mix of olives, capers, pine nuts and raisins, then braised gently in a covered pot. Success comes down to tying the string loosely enough to hold the leaves together while keeping the pan juices to dip the bread in.

Tonight, a whole escarole stuffed with olives, capers, pine nuts and raisins, braised the Neapolitan way.

Neapolitan stuffed escarole with bread
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.50
Calories per person
710 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Escarole, that slightly bitter winter salad green, transforms completely once it's stuffed and braised. The gentle heat of the covered pot softens its natural bitterness and lets the sweet and salty filling of olives, capers, pine nuts and raisins seep between the leaves. The result is surprising, a salad green that turns into a warm, hearty dish, nothing like the raw bowl you'd expect.

This is a seasonal dish, perfect for a weeknight dinner when you have a bit of extra time, or for a meat free Sunday that breaks from routine. The sweet and salty combination typical of Neapolitan cooking pleasantly surprises curious guests, though the bold taste of olives and capers makes it better suited to adults. Served with country bread to soak up the juices, it's a simple way to cook a vegetable you rarely prepare this way.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Escarole heads 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Pantry

  • Pitted black olives 100 g
  • Capers 2 tbsp
  • Pine nuts 30 g
  • Raisins 30 g
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 60 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Country bread 1

Allergens Gluten, Tree nuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Blanch the whole escarole heads for 3 minutes in salted boiling water, then drain them upside down. 5 min

    Press them gently, they hold a lot of water.

  2. Mix the chopped olives, capers, pine nuts, plumped raisins, breadcrumbs, chopped garlic and 2 tablespoons of oil.

    The capers are salty, taste before adding more salt.

  3. Gently open the escarole leaves and slide the filling between them, then tie each head with kitchen string.

    Tie loosely, the head will still hold together.

  4. Place the escarole heads in a pot with the remaining oil and a glass of water, cover and cook over low heat. 35 min

    Turn them halfway through so they brown gently.

  5. Cut into wedges, spoon over the cooking juices and serve with the bread.

    Keep the juices, they're full of flavor, dip the bread in them.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm, dense heads of escarole, they hold together better during cooking and stuff more easily without tearing.
  • Soak the raisins in a bit of warm water before adding them to the filling, they'll stay plump through cooking instead of drying out.
  • Check the water level partway through cooking and add a splash of hot water if the pot looks dry, the heat should stay very low the whole time.

The variations

  • Swap the pine nuts for chopped walnuts or almonds, the taste will be more rustic but just as good against the sweetness of the raisins.
  • For a milder version, cut the capers and olives by half and stir a bit of grated parmesan into the filling.
  • To save time, stuff individual separated escarole leaves instead of the whole head, cooking will be quicker and easier to watch.

What to serve it with

  • Grilled country bread for the juices
  • A glass of dry white wine
  • Burrata as a starter

Storage

Stuffed escarole keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It doesn't freeze particularly well since the leaves lose their texture. Reheat it gently in a skillet or pot with a little of its cooking juices.

Questions about this dish

Can you make stuffed escarole ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the filling and stuff the escarole heads the day before, then keep them in the refrigerator. Just braise them in the pot right before serving so they keep their shape.

Can you use a different green instead of escarole?

Curly endive works well since it has a similar texture and also holds up to braising. Avoid delicate greens like lettuce, which would fall apart during cooking.

How do you keep the filling from falling out while cooking?

Tying string around each head is essential, it holds the leaves snug around the filling without squeezing the head too tight. Tie each escarole in two or three spots to spread the hold evenly.

Do you have to add pine nuts?

Pine nuts add a nice crunch but you can skip them if you don't have any on hand. Chopped walnuts or almonds give just as tasty a result.

How long does it take to make a Neapolitan stuffed escarole with bread?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Neapolitan stuffed escarole with bread?

About 710 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Neapolitan stuffed escarole with bread cost?

About €2.50 per serving, or €10.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, tree nuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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