You may know, I am currently in obsessed … with my beautiful garden!! I planted it just over a month ago and it is doing fantastic! One of the first things ready to be picked was, you guessed it, escarole! I love this stuff; its a good healthy, hearty and tender green. This Stewed Escarole, Beans & Tomato dish is a real comforting rustic Italian inspired dish. I’ve made it twice already and every time it disappears. Hope you all like it too!
This dish starts with olive oil, pancetta, onions and garlic… I mean anything that starts with all that deliciousness cannot be bad! Once the pancetta is browned and the garlic and onions softened, I added in the escarole, tomatoes and cannellini beans. Slowly simmered until the escarole is tender and all the incredible flavors have melded. Its finished off very simply with some freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. This dish is addictively delicious!!
A little note, escarole is similar to spinach in that it shrinks quite a bit when cooked so what looks like a lot to start doesn’t yield as much in the end.
Once i’ve got enough escarole ready to pick, I plan on making a big ole batch along with some grilled slices of Italian bread. This escarole, beans and tomato will be perfect with the bread! Heres a little peak at my garden, day 1 & 1 month later. Isn’t it a beautiful thing?!?!
- 4 – 6 oz pkg diced pancetta
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
- 3 large garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 bunches escarole, rough chopped
- 1 cup crushed tomato or homemade tomato sauce if you have {i just happen to almost always have}
- 1/2 a can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- salt and pepper to taste
- freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
- In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil, pancetta and onion. Once the pancetta is mostly browned, go ahead and add the garlic. Cook until the onions and garlic and softened.
- Add in the escarole, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the cannellini beans, cover and simmer another 10 minutes.
- Platter the escarole and grate a good amount of freshly grated parmigiano over top.
