Erica De Mane

A  fairly good-looking batch of  supermarket  escarole.

Recipe: Cavatelli with Shrimp, Escarole, and Parmigiano Breadcrumbs

Oh, where, oh where, has my Greenmarket gone? Oh, when will this long winter end? Yesterday I found myself pottering around in the chicory-related bins at my local supermarket, looking for something interesting to turn into dinner. Like many Italian-minded cooks, when I don’t know what to make I make pasta. The pastabilities are endless, as they say. Endless unless you’re having a cook’s block, which is what I momentarily experienced while starring down piles of wilted escarole.

Then I thought of my mother’s escarole with garlic and oil, a side dish she made often when I was a kid. I loved it. I’d get up in the middle of the night just to finish off any leftovers (it’s excellent heaped on top of a slice of cold pizza Margherita). It had the perfect balance of bitterness and greasiness, and with the slivers of garlic and the dried red pepper flakes she always added it was just about the perfect food. I asked the stock guy at the store where the escarole came from, and he actually knew. At least he gave me an answer. Florida, he said.

Okay, that’s not so far away, but how long has the escarole been sitting in this bin getting slimy? I didn’t ask him that. I didn’t need to. Must have been a long time, since escarole is pretty hardy. By now I just really wanted to taste escarole with olive oil and garlic again. I had settled on escarole as a component of the evening’s meal. It was a nostalgia issue. I tried not to look at the wilted, brown stuff that was before me. “Do you have any other escarole?” I asked. He smiled and opened up a big box sitting at his feet that happened to be filled with bright green, firm, crunchy, beautiful fresh escarole. What a weird world this is.

I guess the old stuff gets thrown out and replaced with newer stuff until the newer stuff gets wilty, and then that gets thrown out and then replaced again. What’s the matter with everyone? Don’t you know how delicious escarole is when gently sautéed with garlic and olive oil? What else are you supposed to eat in New York in the winter? Don’t ignore escarole. I tell you, it can make the cold months happier.

Damned, but what a waste all this wilty being tossed. I grabbed two huge fresh heads from the box (it really cooks down), trying not to think about all the wilted stuff,  and a package of cavatelli. Sounded good to me, but I sensed my husband and sister might find the resulting cucina povera dish too austere. So on my way out I picked up a pound and a half of shrimp. Pasta improvvisata time. Here’s my recipe. I hope it makes you happy.

The best way to cook up escarole: You can eat escarole raw in salad, and I love it that way, especially with a gorgonzola dressing, but it’s at its best cooked. I always give it a quick blanch in boiling salted water (very quick, about a minute), to rid it of some of its bitterness, and then plunge it into cold water to stop the cooking and bring up its beautiful light green color. Squeeze out as much water as possible, and then it’s ready for a quick sauté in good olive oil and whatever little extras you might like to add (pancetta, anchovies, olives, garlic, fresh chilies, pine nuts, raisins, fresh sausage, cooked cannellini beans). This way the escarole will be sweet and vibrant.

My grandmother, and just about every other old Italian lady I ever knew, would just throw escarole in a big pot with oil, way too much garlic, and a little water, and stew the life out of it until it was soft, gray, and depressing. That might have been traditional, but it’s not allowed anymore. I say so.

Cavatelli with Shrimp, Escarole, and Parmigiano Breadcrumbs

(Serves 4 as a main course or 6 as first course)

2 dozen large shrimp, peeled and deveined, but keep the shells
Extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup dry white wine, plus a little extra for sautéing the shrimp
1 cup chicken broth
Salt
2 large heads escarole, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs, not too finely ground
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Dried hot red pepper (I used Aleppo, which is only medium spicy)
A generous pinch of sugar
1 pound cavatelli pasta
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5 large sprigs thyme, the leaves lightly chopped
A big squeeze of lemon juice

In a small saucepan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, and sauté them until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the white wine, and let it bubble for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and water, if needed, to just cover the shells, season with a little salt, and cook at a lively bubble for about 10 minutes. Strain the shrimp broth into a small bowl, and set it aside.

Bring a large pot of pasta cooking water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt. Drop in the escarole, and blanch for one minute. Scoop out the escarole into a strainer, using a large strainer spoon, and run cold water over it to bring up its green color. Squeeze out as much water as you can.

In a small sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, and sauté until crisp, about a minute. Season with a little salt. Let the breadcrumbs cool to room temperature, and then mix in the Parmigiano Reggiano. Put this in a little bowl.

Put the shrimp in a bowl, and season well with salt, black pepper, some hot red pepper to taste, and the sugar. Toss well.

Bring the water back to a boil, and drop in the cavatelli.

In a large skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, and sauté until softened, about a minute or so. Add the garlic, and sauté a minute longer. Add the escarole, season with salt, black pepper, and the thyme, and sauté about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp broth, and let simmer briefly. In a smaller skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. When hot, add the shrimp, sautéing quickly until it’s just tender, about 4 minutes. Add a splash of white wine, and shake the skillet. Pour the shrimp into the escarole.

When the cavatelli is al dente, drain it, leaving a bit of cooking water clinging to it, and pour it into a large serving bowl. Pour on the escarole and shrimp sauce. Add a drizzle of fresh olive oil, and toss gently. Adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or black or red pepper, if desired. Serve hot, with a tablespoon or so of the Parmigiano breadcrumbs sprinkled on each serving.