A green crown surrounds the Upper Town: it does not consist only of meadows and trees, but also by the fields of escarole, a type of winter endive grown on small plots of land surrounding the walls of Bergamo and the hilly lands all around the city.
The tuft is made of wavy overlapped leaves; the external ones are bright green, while the inner leaves are white. The escarole’s aspect resulted from a peculiar and very hard work carried out by farmers: would you like to know something more about it?
How is the hills’ escarole made? In September, the salad sprigs are put in a well-prepared soil, so that they can grow healthy and strong till November, with a nice large head.
At this point, each tuft gets tied and the plantation gets covered with hay. If the temperature is too low, the salads get transferred to the cellars and kept in the dark to “finish the job”. They remain in the darkness for 8-12 days, where they keep growing: the heart of the salad, with no light, becomes white, and its leaves get crispier and more savoury.
This is why escarole is very appreciated as a simple raw salad, even though it keeps all its characteristics when it is cooked: it is perfect for the filling of lean tortelli or savoury pies, as a seasoning for the foiade pasta (Bergamo-style tagliatelle) with Branzi cheese or for D.O.P. gorgonzola gnocchi, as an ingredient for lasagne or pizza. Moreover, it is the perfect side for pork ribs or polenta.
A green crown surrounds the Upper Town: it does not consist only of meadows and trees, but also by the fields of escarole, a type of winter endive grown on small plots of land surrounding the walls of Bergamo and the hilly lands all around the city.
The tuft is made of wavy overlapped leaves; the external ones are bright green, while the inner leaves are white. The escarole’s aspect resulted from a peculiar and very hard work carried out by farmers: would you like to know something more about it?
How is the hills’ escarole made? In September, the salad sprigs are put in a well-prepared soil, so that they can grow healthy and strong till November, with a nice large head.
At this point, each tuft gets tied and the plantation gets covered with hay. If the temperature is too low, the salads get transferred to the cellars and kept in the dark to “finish the job”. They remain in the darkness for 8-12 days, where they keep growing: the heart of the salad, with no light, becomes white, and its leaves get crispier and more savoury.
This is why escarole is very appreciated as a simple raw salad, even though it keeps all its characteristics when it is cooked: it is perfect for the filling of lean tortelli or savoury pies, as a seasoning for the foiade pasta (Bergamo-style tagliatelle) with Branzi cheese or for D.O.P. gorgonzola gnocchi, as an ingredient for lasagne or pizza. Moreover, it is the perfect side for pork ribs or polenta.
“Scarola dei colli” escarole can be found from the end of October till the beginning of March.
