Escarole and Bean Bruschetta

It is not uncommon to see escarole floating in my kitchen sink so the sand that stubbornly clings to its leaves drifts to the bottom. After a couple of hours soaking, the escarole is subjected to a vigorous rinse with cold water, inspected for any residual particles, then set onto paper towels to dry. However, the vision I prefer to see is a Ready Pak bag with nine ounces of cleaned and chopped escarole in the produce section of the supermarket. If a search for the bagged escarole yields no result, the time it takes to clean it is worth the effort. 

In Italian households, escarole stars in many meals whether as a component in a soup or a salad or accompanied with creamy white beans. This dark leafy green belongs to the chicory family making it a cousin to endive, radicchio and kale, but I think it’s the king of lettuce because its bitterness is magically stripped away with the addition of garlic, olive oil and salt. My sister and I were beside ourselves when escarole soup hit the table. My mother made it with beef instead of chicken, and this intensified the flavor. My sweet grandmother always had escarole in her refrigerator; she melted anchovies in a big heavy pan before adding the escarole and garlic. I remember as a little girl inhaling the aroma emanating from the pan as I sat there in an earthly heaven. 

This escarole and bean bruschetta literally explodes with flavor while the smooth leaves and creamy beans atop crunchy bread incorporates so many textures that the simple becomes complex. I use Portuguese or Kaiser rolls smeared with butter and garlic because when baked, their crusts flake while the interior retains its soft chewy texture providing the ideal place for the escarole and beans to fall. Somehow the bread manages to be both there and not there allowing the garlicky silky escarole to shine just as it should.  

Escarole and Bean Bruschetta

Serves 6

6 tablespoons olive oil 

1 cup canned small white beans

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

8-9 cups chopped escarole

3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

3 Portuguese rolls or Kaiser rolls

3/4 cup unsalted butter

Garlic powder

In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add beans, salt, red pepper flakes and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add escarole and three additional tablespoons of olive oil and stir until escarole just wilts, about four to five minutes. Stir in the Pecorino Romano cheese. Take off heat and set aside

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut rolls in half, then half again. Melt 3/4 cup butter and brush onto bread. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Place rolls on a large baking sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes until the outside crisps. Remove from the oven and spoon escarole and bean mixture onto the bread. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.