Escarole Pie Food

PIZZA ESCAROLE (ESCAROLE PIE - ITALIAN)

Steps:

• Cut bottom off escarole. Then cut in half. Clean escarole in sink of water as many times until water is clean and no dirt. Boil in pot of salted water until tender - approximately 20 minutes. If bitter add 1-2 teaspoons sugar. Drain very well. Squeeze out all excess water with hands or in paper towel or dish towel.
• Next sauté escarole in frying pan with garlic and olive oil. Cold garlic 1st in cold oil or else escarole becomes crisp. Add red pepper flakes if you like it hot.
• Add drained, sliced olives and salt as desired. Keep in mind anchovies will be salty. When done, drain excess oil out of escarole via colander.
• Place dough in oiled then buttered pan (I use brush). Make sure dough comes up sides of pan. Put escarole mixture inside dough. Add anchovies on top in layered pieces. Stir lightly through. Put on top layer of dough for crust. Pinch seems together tightly of top and bottom dough layers. Brush with oil on top and melted butter. Make fork holes for ventilation.
• Bake 400ºF for 15 minutes. Then reduce to 350ºF for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Brush melted butter on top crust when removed from oven.

NONNA LISA'S TIELLA

Steps:

• To make the dough, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, and let it sit for several minutes.
• Put the flours, salt, and sugar in the bowl of the food processor, and run the machine for a few seconds to blend the dry ingredients.
• Stir the active yeast together with the cool water and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a spouted measuring cup. With the food processor running, pour all the liquid into the flours, and continue processing for 30 seconds or so. A soft dough should gather on the blade and clean the sides of the bowl. If the sides are not clear, incorporate more flour, a tablespoon at a time, to stiffen the dough. If the dough is very stiff, work in more cool water in small amounts. (You can also use a heavy-duty electric mixer to form the dough, or do it by hand.)
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead by hand briefly to form a smooth round. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. Deflate the dough when doubled, knead it briefly, and return to the bowl for a second rise. If you like, refrigerate the dough, sealed airtight, for up to a day (deflate and knead it whenever it doubles).
• When your filling is prepared and you are ready to bake the tiella, heat the oven to 375˚. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and put the baking stone on it, if using. Brush the bottom and sides of the skillet or baking pan lightly with olive oil.
• Deflate the dough, knead it briefly to form a round again, and cut off a third of the dough for the top crust of the tiella. The larger, two-thirds piece will be the bottom crust. Let the dough relax (especially if it has been chilled) before rolling.
• On a floured surface, roll out the big piece of dough to a 14-inch round. Transfer the round to the skillet or baking pan, centered and lying flat on the bottom and sides. Trim the top edge of the dough neatly so it is an even height, about 1 1/2 inches, up the sides all around.
• Scrape the cooled escarole or octopus filling into the bottom crust, and spread it in an even layer, slightly compressed. The escarole filling makes a thinner layer than the octopus, but with either, the bottom crust should extend at least 1/2 inch above the filling all around.
• Roll out the smaller piece of dough to a 12-inch round and trim it into a neat circle that is a bit larger than the layer of filling-use a ruler to get the right dimensions. Center the circle, and lay it on top of the filling. Pinch together the overlapping edges of the bottom and top crusts all around. Fold this wide flap of dough inward, and press it down and against the pan sides all around. Make uniform indentations with your fingertips, to seal the tiella tightly and create a decorative rim of dough at the same time.
• With the tip of a sharp knife, pierce the top crust all over with a dozen or so small slits. Finally, brush the remaining extra-virgin olive oil all over the tiella, including the border of crust.
• Bake the tiella, on the heated stone if you have one, for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown. Cool it on a rack for at least an hour in the skillet. Invert and remove the tiella if you want, or leave it in the pan for serving. Cut wedges, and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
• Nonna Lisa's Tiella Filling of Escarole, Olives, and Capers
• Trim off the base of the escarole, separate the leaves, and discard any that are wilted or blemished. Rinse and drain the leaves, and chop them into shreds about an inch wide.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil in the big skillet, set it over medium-high heat, and stir in the garlic. Cook for a minute or so, until sizzling, then pile in all the escarole, and tumble the shreds over and over with tongs, over high heat. Scatter the capers and olives on top, season with the salt and peperoncino, and toss. Pour 1/2 cup water into the pan, and cover tightly.
• Steam the escarole for about 5 minutes. Uncover the pan, and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until all the moisture has been cooked off and the filling is condensed and fairly dry, about 20 minutes more. Near the end of cooking, drizzle over it the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss.
• Cool the filling before assembling the tiella.
• Nonna Lisa's Tiella Filling of Octopus, Garlic, and Oil
• Defrost the octopus, and put it in a big pot with several inches of water to cover. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and cook at a bubbling simmer for about 35 minutes, or until the octopus is tender but al dente. You should be able to pierce the flesh with a big meat-fork but still feel a bit of resistance when you withdraw it. The skin of the octopus should still be largely intact-not broken and peeling off, which indicates overcooking. Let it cool in the cooking water, then drain well and cut it up into 3/4-inch pieces. Rinse, core, and seed the plum tomatoes, and cut into 1/3-inch dice.
• Pour the olive oil into the big skillet, set it over medium heat, and stir in the garlic. Cook for a minute, until sizzling, then add the octopus pieces and toss them in the oil. Scatter the olives in the pan, and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring and tossing; sprinkle in the peperoncino. When the octopus is sizzling, toss in the diced tomatoes, and season with the salt.
• Cook at the simmer, stirring frequently, for another 10 minutes or so, until the filling is dense and glistening, with no liquid left in the pan. Toss in the parsley, and cool the filling before assembling the tiella.

ESCAROLE PIE

Steps:

• Dough should be placed on cutting board and placed in warm area to rise. Clean escarole thoroughly and boil for at least 40 min. Drain escarole so no water remains. Chop garlic.
• Cut sausage into bite size pieces. Fry sausage for 30 min or until sausage is brown inside. Add mushrooms. Cook another 5 min. Add garlic cook 5 min. Add escarole and mix all together. Salt and pepper to taste.
• In a 13 x 9-inch glass pan, spread olive oil to cover all areas. Spread first dough to cover bottom and sides of pan. Add escarole. Cover top with second dough. Pinch sides.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.

ESCAROLE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, cook escarole, covered, over medium heat until wilted, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Place in a sieve set over a medium bowl, and let drain. When cool enough to handle, place in a towel, and squeeze to remove excess liquid; set aside.
• In the same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and anchovies, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved escarole, olives, and raisins. Cook, stirring occasionally, until completely combined and no liquid remains in the skillet. Season with salt and black or red pepper. Spread on a baking sheet to cool.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll smaller piece of dough into a 12-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. With a dry pastry brush, brush off any excess flour. Gently press into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Add filling, and spread evenly.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining piece of dough to an 1/8-inch-thickness. Cut into strips, 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. Weave the strips forming a lattice top over the filling. Press edges to seal. Trim dough flush with the tart pan.
• Brush tart evenly with egg. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is heated through, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ITALIAN ESCAROLE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Lightly brush pizza crust with olive oil. Spread with a thin layer of pizza sauce, and sprinkle with minced garlic. Remove thick stems from escarole, and arrange leaves over pizza. Cover with shredded mozzarella.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

ESCAROLE WITH GARLIC AND BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Coarsely chop the escarole.
• Add to water, cook 2 minutes, drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.
• Heat oil in a heavy skillet, add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook over medium heat until garlic is browned.
• Add bread crumbs and cook until browned.
• Turn heat to high, add escarole, season with salt and pepper, stir and toss until heated through.
• Place in a serving bowl and pour any oil left in the pan over the escarole.