Pizza di Scarola (Neapolitan Escarole Pie)

Growing up in NJ has its perks.    

We are close to NYC and the beautiful Jersey coastline. 

 We have great Italian restaurants and fabulous pizza......(by all means, chime in if you feel that I am missing something!).

Growing up with Italian American friends also had its perks.  I thought I was Italian. 

Adapting to their customs like "The Feast of Seven Fishes" on Christmas Eve, and getting ashes on my forehead on Ash Wednesday (true story!).

  
Ok, I can be swayed by your mother's delicious food!    Can I come to your house for Sunday dinner?

I remembered this "pizza di Scarola" (or "scarole" as my friends called it).

It's a Neapolitan treat usually made for Christmas Eve, eaten before the big dinner.

It's a large sandwich thing made w/ pizza dough, filled with escarole, raisins, olives, garlic and anchovies.  Pine nuts are traditional, but I am not a fan, so omitted them.

I wanted to recreate this from memory, and for a Jewish girl, I did a pretty damn good job.  It was one of the BEST things I have ever made!   

You can use homemade pizza dough or store bought.

I served it on New Year's Eve and everyone loved it!   
I hope you try it. 

Pizza di Scarola:

2 heads of escarole, stems removed

6 garlic cloves, sliced

1 ball of pizza dough, divided in half

8 anchovy filets

10-12 kalamata olives (you can use more if you like)

1/4 cup of golden raisins

olive oil

grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese 

Start by blanching the escarole in a pot with some water.  Cover and blanch the heads for about 6 minutes, until wilted.   Drain and squeeze most of the moisture out with a dish towel.

Chop the blanched escarole into pieces and add them to a large heavy pan with olive oil and the sliced garlic and raisins.  Season with kosher salt & pepper.

Cook this mixture for about 5 minutes until the garlic is getting fragrant.   Set aside.

Stretch out half the pizza dough and spread it into a 1/4 sheet pan that has been coated with olive oil.

Spread the cooked escarole, garlic and raisin mixture onto the dough.  Layer on the black olives then the anchovy filets.    

Sprinkle on the grated cheese and cover with the other half of the pizza dough.

Pinch together the sides to seal the package.   Pierce the dough with a fork to make tiny holes and brush with olive oil.

Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 20-30 minutes (mine was ready at the 23 minute mark).  

You can eat this hot, warm or at room temperature.  It's just the best thing.

Happy New Year!

I'm still here blogging!  xo