Pizza di Scarola, Stuffed Pizza Bread with Escarole
A savory Italian stuffed pizza bread made with two packages of Birrittella's pizza dough and a filling of escarole sautéed with garlic, anchovies, pine nuts, raisins, black olives and capers. Serve it for lunch with a salad, as a warm antipasto before your holiday feast, or as a meatless festive dinner. Recipe by Michele Sessa of Appetito Magazine.
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 55 minutes mins
Proofing Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Total Time 4 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
1 Skillet For the filling
1 Mixing Bowls For cooling the filling
1 12-inch Pie Pan Or an iron skillet or baking sheet; oiled
1 Rolling Pin For rolling out the dough
1 Pastry Brush For brushing the top with olive oil
Dough
- 2 packages Birrittella's Pizza Dough 15 oz each; proofed according to package directions and rolled out into large circles
- Olive Oil For the pan and for brushing the top of the pie
Filling
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 heads Escarole Chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic Chopped
- 4-6 Anchovy Fillets
- 1/3 cup Pine Nuts
- 1/3 cup Raisins
- 1/2 cup Black Olives Drained
- 1/2 cup Capers Drained
- Salt and Pepper To taste; go easy on the salt because the anchovies are salty
Proof the dough - Proof both packages of Birrittella's pizza dough according to the package directions, then roll each one out into a large circle.
Melt the anchovies - Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and anchovies and stir until the anchovies melt into the oil.
Add the pine nuts, raisins, capers and olives - Toss them into the skillet and cook for a few minutes.
Cook the escarole - Add the escarole and season with black pepper and a bit of salt, since the anchovies are salty. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer the filling to a bowl to cool.
Preheat and prepare the pan - Preheat the oven to 375°F to 400°F. Oil a 12-inch pie pan, iron skillet or baking sheet.
Line the pan - Stretch one piece of dough into the bottom and up the side of the pan.
Fill and top - Add the cooled filling to the bottom crust. Top with the second piece of dough, then fold and crimp the top crust to the bottom dough.
Vent and brush - Prick the top of the crust a few times so steam can escape, then brush the top with olive oil.
Bake - Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden.
Cool and slice - Let it cool slightly, or bring it to room temperature, before slicing. It tastes even better as the flavors settle in.
Serving: Serve it as a nice lunch with a salad, as a warm antipasto before your holiday feast, or as a meatless festive dinner.
Make Ahead & Freezing: Once cooled, wrap it well and place it in an airtight container. It keeps in the freezer for 2 to 3 months, so it's ideal for party planning.
Pan Options: A 12-inch pie pan, iron skillet or baking sheet all work. Oil it well before adding the dough. Keyword Anchovies, Capers, Escarole, Holiday, Olives, Pizza Dough, Stuffed Pizza Bread
