Puntarelle Alla Romana

20 minutes + 30 minutes soak

Makes 2-4 servings

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This traditional Roman dish...

(well, the capers aren’t exactly traditional, but they’re a delicious addition) is a classic example of what makes Italian food so compelling. Full of punchy flavor and appealing texture, the ingredients are nevertheless (mostly) simple, inexpensive, and widely available, and there are no special techniques involved in its preparation. The major caveats to the previous sentence are of course the fact that the stars of the show–a frilly green chicory called puntarelle, as well as the tool most Italians use to slice it–are relative obscurities in the US. But don’t be put off; the puntarelle can effectively be swapped for endive, frisée, or any other mildly bitter chicory, and the slicer, while appealing in its ancient-feeling simplicity and specificity, can be replaced with a nice, sharp knife. However you get there, know this: the resulting salad, a textural wonder of crisp chicories, salty capers, earthy anchovy and bright lemon juice, is a deeply satisfying shoulder-season dish that comes together quickly and impresses everybody. Mangia!

Adapted from the Culinary Breeding Network’s Radicchio Zine

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the shopping list

1 head of puntarelle
2 garlic cloves, microplaned
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

From our shop

8 Cantabrian Anchovies in Olive Oil
$12.00– Los Angeles - California

*These are a great substitute Brown Anchovies
$24.00– San Sebastian - Spain

1/2 teaspoon Fine Kosher Sea Salt
$18.00– Gossen Island - Norway

3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
$9.00– Mantova - Italy

5 tablespoons Antheo D.O.P.
$32.00– Sicily - Italy

2 tablespoons Capers in Sea Salt
$20.00– Pantelleria - Sicily

Equipment

From the kitchen

Tagliapuntarella (literally: “puntarelle cutter.” But don’t worry, a knife works too 😜)
Microplane
2 mixing bowls
Chef’s knife
Cutting board
Measuring spoons

What you'll have to do

Step 1

Process puntarelle: separate the head into individual stalks, trim the top and bottom of each stalk, and pull through the tagliapuntarella. If you don’t have a tagliapuntarella, use a sharp knife to julienne the stalks lengthwise; you’re looking for long, matchstick-wide strips. Place the sliced puntarelle into an ice-water bath for a minimum of 30 minutes but up to overnight. This tempers the vegetable’s bitterness and makes it sort of curl up into fun shapes.

Step 2

Finely chop 8 anchovies; using the side of the knife, smoosh the diced anchovies into a paste.

Step 3

Use a whisk to combine the anchovies, garlic and 3 tablespoons vinegar in a mixing bowl. While whisking, slowly add 5 tablespoons olive oil.

Step 4

Drain the puntarelle and add to a mixing bowl. Add about half of the dressing and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning if you need to (the capers and anchovies should provide plenty of salt, but tastes vary). Add more dressing as needed.