Escarole Soup (Zuppe di Scarola)

Escarole is similar to lettuce but in the chicory/endive family...not as bitter though. You can eat it raw, but I never have.  I grew up eating this leaf cooked preferably in a soup.  This was a weekly meal especially in the winter, my mother made this with Chick peas/Garbanzo beans most of the time or just plain as I have shared here.  It wasn't my favorite thing to eat as a child, my favorite part was dipping the bread into the salty olive oily broth (I think all ate when escarole was on the menu). Now as an adult I love to make it for my family and I have experimented with different ways of making it interesting, it is not a fan of my daughters but my husband LOVES it and will ask often for it if I have gone for a while with out making it!! This is a quick nutritious vitamin packed meal. High in vitamin A, C and has some calcium benefits...and of course fiber!! There are so many different ways to make this soup, adding northern beans, sausage, mini meatballs the list is endless. This recipe is a basic starter.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil


3 Garlic cloves minced


1 Large head of escarole washed well and chopped


1-2 Large Roma tomato chopped


Salt and black pepper to taste


4 cups of Chicken Broth (Purchased or homemade stock)


Serve with Crusty Bread and grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and tomato saute until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the escarole and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. Add the chicken broth. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with grated cheese over each bowl. Serve with crusty bread.