Stuffed escarole leaves with marinated chickpeas
6 Servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | cups | Dried chickpeas |
| 2 | teaspoons | Dried sage |
| 5 | eaches | Bay leaves |
| ¼ | teaspoon | Salt |
| 1 | pinch | Freshly ground black pepper |
| 4 | mediums | Tomatoes, seeded & diced |
| 2 | teaspoons | Minced garlic |
| 2 | tablespoons | Chopped fresh parsley |
| 2 | tablespoons | White wine vinegar |
| 1 | large | Head escarole washed and cored |
Directions
Rinse chickpeas, place in a large bowl and cover with 9 cups water.
Refrigerate and let soak overnight. In a large pot, bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add sage and bay leaves. Drain chickpeas and rinse well. Add chickpeas to boiling water and cook until they are soft, about 30 to 45 minutes. Drain chickpeas, reserving 2 cups of cooking liquid. Sprinkle chickpeas with salt and pepper, and lightly mash them with a fork. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl toss tomatoes with garlic and parsley. Add cooled chickpeas and toss with just enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Add vinegar to taste. Bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Place escarole leaves in a strainer and submerge in boiling water until leaves are soft, about 2 minutes. Remove leaves from water and immediately plunge them into ice water. Drain and pat dry. Lay leaves out flat nad place about 2 or 3 tablespoons of chickpea mixture at broad end of each leaf. Roll up like a cigar, turning sides in to enclose filling. Serve at room temperature.