Otherwise known as escarole with chick peas and sausage.  Today was a perfect snowy day for Italian soup.  I was working from home and in need of some comfort food.  Here is my recipe for this lovely soup.

Escarole with chick peas and sausage

Ingredients

One good sized bunch of fresh escarole

Olive Oil and chopped or sliced garlic

One can of chick peas

6-10 baby carrots, peeled and cleaned

1/2 pound chuck or Locatelli or Romano cheese

1/4 pound of either sweet sausage, turkey sausage, chopped prosciutto or bacon/pancetta

1-2 cans of low fat, low sodium chicken broth

Salt, Pepper and some Italian seasoning

Steps

In a large stock pot or dutch oven add a good sized shot of olive oil and add the garlic, let it simmer and saute.

Meanwhile chop the end off the escarole bunch and dice, cut or rip into small pieces.  Rinse thoroughly, you do not want grit in your soup!

Return the pot to a medium heat and add the escarole.  (listen to that sizzle as the leaves meet the garlic. mmmm) Stir and place a lid on the pot and wait as the leaves wilt a bit, maybe 5 minutes or so.

You can either rinse the can of chic peas or use the juice. Your call.  Add the chick peas and the chicken broth. Stir and cover for another 5-6 minutes. While this is cooking, chop the cheese into bite sized chunks and ready the meat. The sausage I buy is loose and I add the whole handful and wait for it to cook and break apart.

Lower the heat to a simmer and add more chicken broth as desired.  I like it soupy.

Break out that old piece of Perecca’s bread you have and get it nice and toasty. Serve in a deep bowl and place the bread on top.

You have instant comfort. Enjoy it. (Ti amo nonna)