Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [237]
3. Preheat oven to 375°.
4. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Trim the escarole of any bruised or discolored outer leaves, then cut it into 2-inch long pieces. Soak them in a basin filled with cold water, scooping them up, emptying the basin, refilling it with fresh water, and soaking them again, repeating the process 3 or 4 times.
5. Bring 3 to 4 quarts water to a boil, add salt, and drop in the escarole. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes, depending on its youth and freshness. Drain it and as soon as it is cool enough to handle, squeeze it gently to cause it to shed as much moisture as possible. Set it aside.
6. Put the olive oil and garlic in a large saute pan, turn on the heat to medium, and cook the garlic, stirring, until it becomes colored a pale gold. Add the escarole, turning it over once or twice to coat it well. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes, turning the escarole from time to time. If the pan juices are watery, turn the heat up and reduce them quickly. Add the capers, turn them over with the escarole, then add the olives, turn over again, and remove from heat. Mix in the anchovies and pine nuts. Taste and correct for salt, then pour the entire contents of the pan into a bowl and set aside to cool.
7. When the dough has doubled in bulk, divide it into 2 unequal parts, one twice the size of the other. Roll out the larger piece of dough into a circular sheet large enough to line the bottom and sides of the springform pan. It should come out approximately ¼ inch thick. To simplify transferring this to the pan, roll out the dough on lightly floured wax paper or kitchen parchment.
8. Smear the inside of the springform pan with butter, pick up the wax paper or kitchen parchment with the sheet of dough on it, and turn it over onto the pan, covering the bottom and letting it come up the sides. Peel away the wax paper or parchment, and smooth the dough, flattening and evening off any particularly bulky creases with your fingers.
9. Pour all the escarole filling from the bowl into the pan, and level it off with a spatula.
10. Roll out the remaining piece of dough, employing the same method you used earlier. Lay it over the filling, covering it completely. Press the edge of the top sheet of bread dough against the edge of that lining the pan. Make a tight seal all around, folding any excess dough toward the center.
11. Place on the uppermost rack of the preheated oven and bake until the torta swells slightly, and the top becomes colored a pale gold, about 45 minutes. When you take it out of the oven, unlatch the pan’s spring, and remove the hoop. Allow the torta to settle a few minutes before loosening it from the bottom and transferring it to a serving platter. Serve either lukewarm or at room temperature.
FINOCCHIO
Although there is an English equivalent for finocchio—Florence fennel—for many cooks it’s the Italian word that has achieved everyday usage. Fennel is related to anise, but its cool, mild aroma has none of its kin’s sharpness. People eat finocchio raw, in salads, but it is an exceptionally fine vegetable for braising, sautéing, gratinéing, and frying. The bulbous base is the part that is used, while the stems and leaves are usually discarded. When wild fennel is called for but not available, finocchio’s, leafy tops are a tolerable substitute.
When and how to buy The best season for finocchio, when it is juiciest and its fragrance is sweetest and freshest, is from fall to spring, but it is also available in summer. Italians distinguish between male and female finocchio, the first with a stocky, round bulb, the latter flat and elongated. The “male” is crisper and less stringy, and it has a finer scent, qualities that are particularly desirable when it is to be eaten raw. For cooking, the flatter bulb is acceptable, but as long as it’s equally fresh, the thicker, rounder one will always taste better.
Braised Finocchio with Olive Oil
For 4 servings
3 large