Growing up I could remember being so excited when I came home from school and saw a pot of escarole and beans on the stove. For me it was such an amazing meal. My mom would serve it with crusty bread. Occasionally she would serve it with a frittata also. Sometimes it was potato and eggs, other times it was zucchini. I always took the leftovers to school for lunch. I would get many stares from the kids. They would question what I was eating and say it looked gross. I knew better. My lunch was better than their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread, which FYI to this day I have never eaten. Who can relate?
Escarole and Beans
1 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
15 Garlic Whole Cloves.
1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 lbs. Escarole – Washed well
1 – 28 oz can of Whole Tomatoes – Crush with hands
2 – 15.5 oz Cans of Cannellini Beans – Drained
2 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 ½ tsp Salt
1 Rind (end) of the Pecorino Cheese (Optional)
In a large saucepan, heat up the oil on a low flame. Add the garlic. Slowly cook the garlic until it is fork tender. Remove from the pan and smash using a fork. Return the garlic to the pan and add the crushed red pepper. Sautee for about a minute or two, breaking the garlic up even more with a wooden spoon. Add the escarole to the pot and let it start to wilt for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and salt. Let it cook for about 10 minutes on a low to medium flame. Then add the cannellini beans and the end of the cheese if you have it. Simmer for another 30 minutes and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and grated Pecorino.