AI-generated image
Puntarelle alla romana
Puntarelle: Rome's crisp winter chicory shoots in a garlic and lemon dressing
From November to February, Rome's markets at Campo de' Fiori and Testaccio sell puntarelle: the pale, hollow shoots from the heart of a Catalogna chicory, sold already split into curls by the stallholders. Soaked in iced water, they turn crunchy and curl up, and they are dressed with crushed garlic, oil and something sharp. The Roman dressing is pounded with anchovy; this vegetarian version uses capers and lemon for the same salty, tangy punch. Serve it as a side next to cacio e pepe or a plate of artichokes. Chef's tip: slice the shoots as thinly as you can, lengthways; thin strips curl tighter in the ice water and hold the dressing better.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (2)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Fill a large bowl with cold water and tip in 1 tray ice cubes.
Step 2: Pull the outer dark leaves off 1 ⅛ lb puntarelle (Catalogna chicory shoots) (keep them for soup) to reveal the cluster of pale shoots. Snap the shoots off the base one by one.
Step 3: Cut each shoot in half lengthways, then into very thin strips, 2–3 mm wide. Common mistake: cutting thick wedges, which stay stiff and bitter instead of curling.
Step 4: Drop the strips into the iced water and leave them until they have curled into crisp ringlets and lost some bitterness, at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
15 minStep 5: Meanwhile, pound 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp capers and ½ tsp flaky sea salt to a coarse paste in a mortar.
Step 6: Work in 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, then whisk in 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil until the dressing looks cloudy and slightly thick. Season with ¼ tsp black pepper.
Step 7: Drain the puntarelle and spin or pat them completely dry, so the dressing clings rather than slides off.
Step 8: Toss the shoots with the dressing just before serving and eat while they still crunch.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does puntarelle alla romana take?
- About 25 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Boiled pasta
The basic method for any dried pasta, from penne to spaghetti. A large pan of salted boiling water keeps the pasta from sticking, and you cook it only until just done, with a little bite left. Use it in salads, bakes or with any sauce.
Mix capsicum peanut salad
A crunchy salad of red, yellow and green peppers with roasted peanuts, cucumber, carrots and celery, dressed with lemon, dill, mint and celery leaves. Just before serving, olive oil mixed with sesame seeds is poured over the top. It's colourful, filling and full of protein.
All-way potato salad
Warm new potatoes boiled in their skins and tossed in one of three dressings: creamy parsley sour cream, a tangy basil vinaigrette, or a fresh 'greeny' dressing of cottage cheese and herbs. Each dressing is enough for 500 g of potatoes, so make one, or make all three for a party. Serve the salad chilled on a bed of lettuce with a spoonful of single cream on top.