Loretta Sebastiani

Loretta Sebastiani
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Neapolitan Batavian endive pie
( Pizza di scarola)

Authentic Italian recipe from Naples

This deep pizza is a pizza stuffed with escarole, typical of Christmastime in Campania at Naples but that can be enjoyed all year round. The ingredients are very simple. It contains no meat but the presence of salted anchovies does not make it a vegetarian dish.

difficulty: medium

time: 2 hours

calories: 736 (kCal)

Ingredients / Serves 4

  • 500g (1.1 pound) all-purpose flour
  • 25g (1 ounce) fresh yeast (brewer's yeast)
  • 4 heads of Batavian endive (escarole)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 60g (2.1 ounces) salted capers
  • 100g (3 1/2 ounces) black olives, stoned and sliced
  • 30g (1 ounce) sultanas
  • 30g (1 ounce) pine nuts
  • 50g (1 3/4 ounce) salted anchovies
  • 4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt
Difficulty:
medium difficulty
Time:
preparation: 60 minutes
plus leavening time
cooking: 60 minutes
total: 2 hours
How many calories in a serving?
Calories: 736 (kcal) 37 % - 3080 (kJ)
Protein: 20.9 (g) 42 % GDA
Total fat: 27.7 (g) 40 % GDA
Total carbohydrate: 107.3 (g) 40 % GDA
Sugars: 12.8 (g) 15 % GDA

Download free PDF version (200 download).

Recipe for Neapolitan escarole pizza

Preparation and cooking

  • - Prepare pizza dough with flour, brewer's yeast, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, salt and warm water in the right quantity.
    Knead your dough and then cover it with a napkin. Let it rest for at least 1 hour or until your dough doubles in size in a warm place, faraway from draughts.
  • - In the meantime clean, wash and cook endive in boiling salted water.
    Drain and squeeze it to remove any excess of water.
    Remove salt from anchovies and capers plunging them into cold water and changing water frequently.
    Soak sultanas in warm water, about 20-30 minutes.
    Then squeeze of their soaking water.
  • - Put 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, anchovies and garlic in a pan.
    Let them fry slightly. Remove garlic cloves and then add capers, olives, raisins and pine nuts.
    Continue cooking on medium heat, stirring now and then, until the cooking juice is well reduced.
    Taste for salt.
  • - Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
  • - Grease a round shallow oven dish, 10 inches in diameter, with remaining olive oil.
    Take two third of dough and roll it out on a floured pastry board.
    Line your oven dish with pizza dough, allowing it to flow over the edges.
    Spoon endive mixture on the bottom and level its surface.
    Roll remaining dough out and use it to cover.
    Close all edges with your moistened fingers.
    Prick with a fork the top.
    Bake until its surface is golden, 40 to 45 minutes.

Just before serving

  • - Let your escarole pizza cool before turning it upside down on a serving platter.
  • - Serve it warm or cold.

Note

Tips

  • - You can use ready-to-bake pizza dough
  • - I prefare to steam escarole to avoid any excess of water.

Menu planning

  • - You can prepare Neapolitan escarole pizza for your family menu but be careful: it's a high-calorie dish!
  • - In Italy we prepare it for Christmastime. It's a perfect starter or a side dish for meat and fish.

Useful links for this recipe

Loretta

What's the right wine for " Neapolitan Batavian endive pie "?

The best pairing for escarole pizza is Fiano di Avellino (white wine from Campania in Italy).