Escarole and Potato Soup

Escarole and potato soup is a simple and comforting dish, typical of Italian home cooking. Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

• Escarole: 400 g
• Potatoes: 300 g
• Vegetable broth: 1 L
• Garlic: 1 clove
• Extra virgin olive oil: as needed
• Salt: as needed
• Black pepper: as needed
• Chili pepper (optional): as needed

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the escarole, removing the outer part of the leaves and the harder base. Wash them well under running water and coarsely chop.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into uniform cubes.
3. Pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil into a large pot and let a garlic clove brown (if you like a more intense flavor you can leave it whole, if you prefer a more delicate one you can remove it after browning).
4. Add the chopped escarole and let it wilt for a few minutes.
5. Add the potatoes and mix to flavor them with the escarole.
6. Pour the vegetable broth into the pot, adjust with salt and pepper and if you like, you can add a pinch of chili pepper.
7. Let it cook on medium-low heat for about 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
8. For a creamier soup, you can mash a part of the potatoes directly in the pot.

Serve piping hot, perhaps with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of black pepper. If you wish, you can also accompany it with some pieces of toasted bread.

Curiosity

Escarole is a very versatile ingredient in Italian cuisine; in the Neapolitan version of the soup, it is often enriched with the addition of cannellini beans or small pieces of pancetta for an extra touch of flavor.