On my blog I couldn’t miss escarole with olives and capers, not only because it’s a light side dish but also because it’s typical of Neapolitan cuisine. I used a lot less oil than usual.
This recipe really goes back a long time, when I was given a lot of escarole for a collaboration with a farm and I had to use it. Instead of using smooth escarole I used a special variety of curly escarole that is very tasty.
This is a delicious and very simple vegan side dish. You can enjoy it right away, hot, or even when it has cooled down a bit. Not only that: you can use it to fill savoury tarts or the legendary Neapolitan escarole pizza — so good!
Other light escarole recipes are here:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 1.3 lb escarole (or curly variety)
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1.4 oz Gaeta olives (pitted)
- to taste capers (salt-packed) (a handful)
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- to taste salt
- Total points = 8 WW points
- Points per serving = 4 WW points
Tools
- Knife
- Pot
- Pan
Steps
First remove the tough part of the escarole, separate the leaves and wash them thoroughly by immersing them in cold water 3-4 times, changing the water each time. Boil the escarole in a large pot without adding extra water, just a little salt: the escarole should just wilt and not cook through. At the end, drain the escarole well and let it cool. Reserve a little of the cooking water.
Prepare the other ingredients: slice the garlic, halve the olives, rinse and squeeze the capers well, and toast the pine nuts for a minute in a pan. The escarole leaves can be left whole or, once cooled enough, you can cut them into pieces. This is especially useful if the escarole will then be used to fill savoury tarts.
In a nonstick pan, sauté the garlic in one teaspoon of oil and, without letting it brown too much, add the escarole a little at a time. Let it absorb the flavours for a few minutes, adding a little of the reserved cooking water if it becomes too dry.
When the escarole has become tender, add the olives, the capers and the second teaspoon of oil. Season lightly (the capers are already quite salty) and let it simmer to absorb the flavours for another 5 minutes or so. At the end of cooking, the escarole should be soft but not mushy: it should remain slightly crunchy.
At this point all that remains is to add the pine nuts and our escarole with olives and capers is ready to be served at the table. In Naples, raisins are often added, especially when preparing fillings, but in that case you will need to count additional Weight Watchers points.
We at home really like this side dish and I make it often. Have you ever made it? I recommend you try it and tell me if you liked it!
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
You can store it in a container in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. If you wish, you can also simply boil the escarole and freeze it in a bag, well drained. You can reheat it in a pan with olives and capers.
