Salsas & Condiments

Puntarelle Alla Romana Recipe (Puntarelle Salad With Anchovy and Garlic Dressing)

In this classic Roman dish, crisp, juicy shreds of puntarelle, the mild-mannered bitter green, are tossed with a potent anchovy- and garlic-heavy dressing.

Servings 4

Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

20 ounces puntarelle or Belgian endive , trimmed (see note)
8 oil-packed anchovies , drained (32 g)
2 medium garlic cloves (10 g)
1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt , plus more to taste; for table salt, use half as much by volume
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 tablespoons capers , drained and roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1

Pluck the outer leaves off the heads of puntarelle, tear or cut into bite-sized pieces, and set aside. Remove the shoots from the heads and, if present, trim and discard the woody bottom end of each. Cut shoots into 1/4-inch-thick strips (you may need to halve or quarter them lengthwise first). If there’s a fatter core, trim off the tougher base, cut it in half lengthwise, and then cut the halves into strips.
2

Alternatively, if using endive, quarter endive lengthwise without removing cores. Slice each quarter into 1/8-inch strips lengthwise, at an angle through core, so leaves remain attached.
3

Transfer prepared puntarelle or endive to a bowl and cover fully with cold water and a handful of ice cubes. Cover with a small plate or other similar object to keep pieces submerged. Refrigerate until curled, at least 2 hours (they may remain submerged for up to 18 hours).
4

Drain puntarelle or endive and dry in a salad spinner. Refrigerate until needed.
5

Meanwhile, place anchovies, garlic, and salt on a cutting board and mash with the back of a fork until a coarse paste forms. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add vinegar and whisk until uniform. Add oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until emulsified.
6

Add puntarelle or endive, parsley, and half of the capers to bowl and toss to coat with dressing. Season with pepper and salt to taste. Transfer to a serving platter, top with remaining capers, and serve.
7

Some supermarkets sell heads of red endive, which is actually a cross between endive and treviso. (Trader Joe’s sells them in mixed packs.) Use a mix of both if you can find them for a splash of color.
8

Once soaked, drained, and spun dry, endive or puntarelle will keep for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.