Italian cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Puntarelle alla Romana

Roman winter salad: chicory shoots curled in ice water and dressed with a punchy anchovy-garlic dressing.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1 head puntarelle (Catalogna chicory, curly endive works too)
• 6 anchovy fillets
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Remove the outer leaves from the puntarelle and separate the pale, hollow shoots individually from the heart.
2. Cut the shoots lengthwise into thin strips and place in a bowl of ice water for 30 min. – they'll curl up and lose some of their bitterness.
3. Crush the anchovy fillets with the peeled garlic cloves and a pinch of salt in a mortar into a coarse paste.
4. Stir in the white wine vinegar, then add the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking into a creamy dressing.
5. Drain the puntarelle thoroughly and spin dry in a clean cloth so the dressing will cling.
6. Toss the strips with the dressing, season with pepper and serve immediately while still crisp.