Puntarelle alla romana 

Puntarelle alla Romana, a very simple recipe to prepare the puntarelle salad, typical Roman. Do you know this? But what are the puntarelle? Practically it is the shoots that form in the center of the chicory, they slightly resemble asparagus, are crunchy and have a slightly bitter taste. Puntarelle with anchovies are to die for! I love them to death! There is no time when I have been to a restaurant in Rome and I have not ordered the Puntarelle alla Romana!  For some years I have finally found them in my area, so I can also enjoy them at home!

Chicory is rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber (including inulin). They are low in calories, depurative and diuretic. Being such a rich food, it is better to orient yourself on recipes with raw puntarelle, although you can cook and make puntarelle cooked in a pan or prepare a good pasta with puntarelle. In this way, however, some nutrients would certainly be lost. The puntarelle season is approximately from February to May, although it depends on the sowing period of chicory and in general, it can be found at the market all year round. I hope I have intrigued you! Here is the recipe of Puntarelle alla Romana, for a crunchy salad full of taste.

Ingredients

600 g puntarelle (chicory sprout)

30 g extra virgin olive oil

10 g white wine vinegar

3 anchovy fillets

1 garlic clove

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of black pepper

Preparation

To better prepare the puntarelle, you will have to start by cleaning the puntarelle and then cut the sprouts into fillets. On sale there is also the puntarelle cutter. They will then be soaked in water and ice for 1 hour to lose the bitter taste and to make them curl, so as to have their typical shape. Then they will be seasoned with an emulsion of oil, vinegar, garlic and anchovies that will give rise to your puntarelle salad. And puntarelle and anchovies are fabulous! Even I, who do not like anchovies, eat them with taste. Take the chicory and remove all the outer green leaves, keeping only the head of chicory catalonia (the central core). Cut off the most leathery base, until you have only the sprouts: our puntarelle. Wash them under water and remove any earthy residues. Take a puntarella and cut it in half vertically. At this point filleting it in the longitudinal direction: from each medium-sized sprout you will have to get about 10 fillets. Gradually place the puntarelle in a large bowl. After cleaning the puntarelle, cover them with cold water and ice and let it soak for 1 hour. You can also leave them for longer: I usually do it in the evening and put the bowl in the refrigerator with water and ice until the next day. They will perfectly lose the bitterness and become beautiful curled. After the time, drain the puntarelle from the water and dab them with absorbent paper. Prepare the emulsion. In a small bowl place the anchovy fillets and crushed garlic (you can also cut both finely with a knife). Add the oil, vinegar, a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of pepper. Crush the anchovies with a fork until they almost melt. Mix everything. Just before serving, you can season the puntarelle with the emulsion. Do not do it too much before, so that the sprouts remain nice crispy. The Puntarelle alla Romana are ready to be enjoyed. A really delicious and tasty side dish! And do you like the puntarelle salad?

Tip

If you love anchovies, you can also put 4-5 fillets in the emulsion. Don't throw away the leaves! You can use them for soups or as herbs in savory pies or for other preparations.