The savory pie with puntarelle and cheese is a tasty yet light main dish. Perfect both as an appetizer in small quantities or as a main course in larger portions. Easy and quick recipe with the tender sprouts of trimmed chicory (puntarelle or mazzocchio).
The chubby ones are the inner sprout of asparagus chicory, they appear hollow inside and can be eaten raw (here’s a recipe) or boiled and seasoned with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. They are characterized by a pleasant bitter taste. It’s a very watery and thus low-calorie vegetable.
In Puglia, there are two varieties of asparagus chicory: Molfettese and Galatina (with large and compact sprouts). The Roman variety is the Catalonia chicory ragged from Gaeta (with long and slender sprouts), mainly consumed raw. In Veneto, the Catalonia chicory from Chioggia is mainly consumed cooked.
Seasonality of Catalonia chicory – topped: #puntarelle – from October to April, it is recommended to harvest it before the frost to avoid finding the inside frozen.
RECIPES with puntarelle
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 8 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 270.05 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 16.98 (g) of which sugars 0.80 (g)
- Proteins 7.39 (g)
- Fat 19.61 (g) of which saturated 5.19 (g)of which unsaturated 10.88 (g)
- Fibers 2.82 (g)
- Sodium 310.58 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 66 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Savory Pie with Puntarelle
- 1 roll Puff Pastry (round)
- 1 head chicory (TOPPED, only use the puntarelle)
- 200 g quartirolo lombardo (or feta or another cheese of choice)
- as needed Extra virgin olive oil
- as needed Salt
- as needed Sesame seeds (optional)
Tools
- Baking Pan round oven pan d. 9.5 – 10.25 inches
- Knife
- Parchment paper (the one in which the puff pastry is rolled)
Savory Pie with Puntarelle
Easy and quick recipe
First of all, remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before use, it will unroll more easily.
Preheat the static oven to 392°F.
Remove the outer leaves of the Catalonia (do not throw them away, they can be boiled and sautéed in a pan as you would with classic chicory).
Detach the individual puntarelle from the head, then remove the hard, white end. Wash them well.
Cut the cheese into cubes.
Place the puff pastry with its parchment paper in the baking pan, prick its entire surface with the prongs of a fork. Place the puntarelle on top (as shown in the photo above), the feta cubes, salt, and extra virgin olive oil, and finally a handful of sesame seeds.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 392°F for about 30 minutes or until golden.
PURCHASE TIPS
Buy only very fresh puntarelle with an intense green color, firm and intact. Consume them within 2 days of purchase. .
