Beyond traditional pizza: discovering escarole pizza

When pizza is mentioned, the common imagination immediately runs to the classic margherita. In Campania, however, there is an equally representative preparation, less known outside the region but deeply linked to tradition: the escarole pizza. A dish that tells history, seasonality and peasant culture, present all year round on Campania's tables and the undisputed star of the Christmas Eve, a day dedicated to "lean" dishes.

A recipe born of the poor cuisine

Scarole pizza has its roots in the popular cuisine, where a few simple ingredients were enough to create dishes that were complete and rich in flavor. Flour and water, elements that were always available, were combined with easily cultivated vegetables such as escarole, which was widely grown in the Campania countryside. This vegetable, often used as a side dish or in salads, was flavored with olives, capers and anchovies, thus transforming into the savory heart of a rustic and nutritious pizza.

A great classic returning star

In recent years, escarole pizza has been regaining space and attention, aided by a renewed desire to rediscover traditional regional recipes. More and more pizza makers are choosing to bring historical preparations back to the forefront, placing them alongside more classic offerings and thus offering a more authentic account of Campania's gastronomic culture.

The elements that make the difference

The success of a good escarole pizza comes first and foremost from the quality of the ingredients. The escaroles are flavored with anchovies intense taste and olives with a slightly bitter character, capable of perfectly balancing the filling. Equally important is the dough, the result of flours selected and careful processing that makes it fragrant, fragrant and light. It is the balance between simplicity and attention to detail that makes this dish so popular.

Tradition, simplicity and authentic taste

Scarole pizza is the perfect example of how a simple recipe can become memorable. Just a few elements, carefully chosen, tell the story of a way of cooking that today returns to fascinate those seeking genuine flavors and preparations linked to the land. The Christmas holidays may be the ideal time to rediscover this specialty and bring a great classic of Campanian cuisine back to the table.

The recipe for escarole pizza

Ingredients

For the dough

• 340 g of 0 flour
• 200 ml of lukewarm water
• 8 g of fresh brewer's yeast
• 7 g of salt
• 8 g of extra virgin olive oil

For the filling

• 500 g Neapolitan escarole
• 4 tablespoons of pitted itrane olives
• 1 teaspoon capers
• 5 fillets of anchovies in oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• extra virgin olive oil q.b.

Proceedings

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Place the flour on a work surface, pour the water with the yeast in the center and start kneading. Add the salt and oil and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, wash the escarole, blanch it for about a minute in salted water and drain well. In a frying pan, sauté the garlic with a little oil, add the anchovies and let them melt, then add the escarole, olives and capers. Sauté for a few minutes and turn off.

Divide the dough into two parts. Roll out the first one and place it in a greased baking dish. Spread the escarole filling and cover with the second sheet of dough, sealing the edges well. Make a few holes in the surface and brush with oil.

Bake in a preheated static oven at 180 °C for about 40 minutes, until the surface is golden brown. Let cool before serving.

In an age that rediscovers the essential, the scarole pizza is making a comeback, proving that true wealth lies in quality and tradition.