Puntarelle

Puntarelle – cicoria asparago or chicory, the pride of the Romans today as in the past, are a local vegetable that has become a side dish in Roman cuisine. They are quite simply the sprout of what is known in Rome as “Cicorione”,  in Italian called Cicoria catalogna, or Cichorium intybus.
Once cut into fillets, the puntarelle are left to soak for at least half an hour in a bowl filled with cold water and ice, where they take on the typical “curly” appearance, as well as slightly losing their bitter taste.
Drain the chicory, dry it and season it with the local condiment. A mixture of vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, a couple of fragrant garlic cloves, salt, pepper and a couple of anchovy fillets pounded with mortar and pestle are the ingredients for this appetizing sauce.
Let the chicory sit in the condiment for at least half an hour before putting it on the table so that it takes on flavour and, when the puntarelle disappear beneath the surface, you can happily dunk your bread in the sauce!