Slightly spicy sautéed chicory with a touch of bitterness, hugged by two fluffy pieces of focaccia, is a dreamy combination for summer brunch or aperitivo time with friends.

It's Friday, and we are longing for a slow weekend in the countryside. The day was warm, and it feels that summer is just a step away from us.

Even though we have been on lockdown for more than two months, the time has been passing so quickly. Between projects, work, house, family, and blog, life seems to fast-forward. There are moments where I need a break, a day of doing nothing, but then I quickly change my mind. The opportunity of being a freelancer and regularly working from home comes as a blessing right now.
After a long day of staring at the computer and working, we try to fill our eyes with nature and the beautiful panorama our countryside offers. A short walk in the woods, just before dinner, seems to relax every cell in my body. The stillness of the countryside. Gentle evening light, just before sunset. The soft wind moves plants, and birds sing continuously. I take a deep breath and know that things will be alright.
 
If you look closely, you may find secret treasures nature offers you. Even though I am very new to foraging spontaneous herbs, our fields provide us with a beautiful plant that we use in our kitchen almost every week, and that is wild chicory.

THE BEAUTY OF SIMPLE INGREDIENTS AND FORAGING

One of the things you will notice in Italian cuisine is the beauty and importance of simplicity. We all know that Italians are famous for their food, but only when you spend some serious time with the Italians, you can understand how important role food actually has in their homes.
Simple, fresh, and high-quality ingredients are essential for any dish you want to prepare. The one rule I've learned is that if you're going to test the quality, you should go for the simplest dish on the menu. For example, if you want to taste if pizza crust is perfect, go for a simple Marinara or Margherita. If made right, they will be glorious even if they have few, very simple toppings.

Today's recipe is inspired by Italian simplicity, our fields, and how two simple ingredients can bring out the flavor and make a dish perfect. Slightly spicy sautéed chicory with a touch of bitterness, hugged by two fluffy pieces of focaccia, is a dreamy combination for summer brunch or aperitivo time with friends.

If you haven't been using chicory in your kitchen, now it's time to start. Spontaneous, very healthy, and easy to find. Chicory is one of those leafy vegetables you want to add to your menu, as it has so many purifying and draining properties. This recipe makes part of a beautiful project, "Parliamo di erbe spontanee" (Let's talk about spontaneous herbs), created by my lovely friend Lucia (www.frollemente.it). With this little project, we want to bring those forgotten herbs and flowers back to your menus and spring on your plates. If you are interested to see recipes from other bloggers that include spontaneous herbs and plants, check for #parliamodierbespontanee #discorsispontanei on Instagram and find out which spontaneous plants can be used in our kitchens as well.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHICORY

Chicory (Italian: Cicoria) is a perennial herbaceous plant with soft blue or lavender flowers. Young leaves are the tastiest in spring, with their slightly bitter taste but can be eaten throughout the year as well. Its leaves are pointy, clustered at the base. You can easily find them in abandoned fields or even near the roads, but if you decide to go foraging, I recommend going to places away from cities and pollution.
Chicory can be bought at the farmer's market as well, and actually is a plant that is very popular in Italy and Mediterranean countries. Their bitter taste can range from mild to pretty strong, which depends on the foraging time. If you forage it in fall and the taste is too bitter for you, try mixing it with different greens like spinach or Swiss chard for a more mild flavor.

how to PREPARE/EAT CHICORY

Even though the leaves are the most used part, the roots of this plant can be used to make chicory coffee.
Didn't know that? Well, chicory coffee has been appreciated since ancient times for its digestive functions. The powder is obtained by drying the roots grown in the autumn, which are then lightly toasted. My parents have been using chicory coffee as a healthier version of regular coffee for years now. It is very similar to the Turkish coffee we drink at home, with a more mild flavor.
Chicory is a precious ally in our light meals and is perfect for preparing low-calorie dishes but with a powerful taste. Just bitter enough, this leafy plant enriches soups, risottos and can accompany many of our recipes.
Today I will show you how I prepare it most of the time. It's a typical recipe from the Lazio region and the way my husband's grandma thought me. It will take you only a few minutes to blanch chicory leaves into boiling water. After you squeeze the remaining water from the plants, you can sauté them in a pan with garlic, olive oil, salt, and chili pepper (Italian peperoncino). This is our favorite way of preparing it as it is both easy and full of flavor.
 

Today's recipe has Italy in its heart. Soft focaccia with sautéed chicory is glorious for its simplicity and unique taste.

Who doesn't love focaccia? Since I moved to Italy, carbs have become my best friends. With all pasta, pizza, and bread how can I avoid them? 🙂 I attempted to make focaccia several times, but this overnight, refrigerated dough definitely wins!

Even with my pizza dough, I try to leave the dough to rise for 24 to 48 hours before making it as the crust has a better crunch to it and is more tasteful and easier to digest. The same goes for this focaccia - prepare it the night before, put it in your fridge. About 4 hours before baking, take out the dough and let it warm up to room temperature. This slow process of rising will be a game-changer and will result in the fluffiest focaccia bread you have ever made. I usually make the dough the night before, so it has good 14-18 hours in the fridge, and then I leave it for about 3-4 hours until it rises again and forms beautiful bubbles.
Even though if it will take several hours before enjoying this delicious bread, the whole process of making focaccia is effortless and so easy.
All you need is flour, salt, yeast, and water for this recipe. Oh, and of course, olive oil. To prevent sticking your dough to the pan, you want to put either some parchment paper and some olive oil or a good layer of olive oil only. I usually go for the paper + oil, so I don't oil the bottom too much.
After about 4 hours, your dough is ready, and the best part comes in - making those little holes in the dough with your fingers. Is it only me, or going through that fluffy, bubbly dough is so relaxing? A good sprinkle of sea salt flakes, and the focaccia is ready for the oven.

Warm focaccia combined with sauteed chicory is something we love to prepare on the weekends. It's an easy, simple recipe with a fantastic taste that will make you eat the whole thing in one night!
The focaccia is best out of the oven, but it can last for two days (in our house doesn't last more than 3 hours) if kept in a ziplock bag.
If you decide to prepare this recipe, make sure to tag me along @thehungryapron and use #makingordinarymagical, so I can easily find your creations! Don't forget to follow us along on #parliamodierbespontanee #discorsispontanei, as you can find many different recipes prepared by other food bloggers in Italy.

No-knead overnight focaccia
with sautéed chicory
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6

FoR FOCACCIA

512 g all-purpose flour (00)

2 tsp fine salt

2 tsp dry yeast

470ml warm water

sea salt flakes to sprinkle

olive oil

FOR THE SAUTÉED CHICORY

300g blanched chicory

2 medium garlic cloves

2 smaller dried chili peppers

salt to taste

METHOD

Prepare focaccia:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a dough ball. Rub the surface of the dough lightly with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator about 4 hours before you plan on baking it. In that way, the dough can warm up to room temperature and rise again. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan (I baked mine in a round aluminum pan with a diameter of 30cm, but the same dough can go into rectangular pan size 30x24cm approximately). Oil your fingers with some olive oil and gently release the sides of your dough from the bowl and knead it gently once, forming a ball. Roll the ball into an olive oil you have poured in your pan and leave it there for 2 to 4 hours. There is no kneading or stretching required at this point. The dough will start to spread and you should wait until it has covered the whole pan.

Preheat your oven at 220 degrees Celsius. Drizzle your dough with some olive oil and coat your hands with oil as well. Using your fingers, press down to create deep holes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let it cool for several minutes before cutting and serving.

Prepare sautéed chicory:

Wash your chicory thoroughly and remove any dirt or other weeds. Blanch the leaves for several minutes in boiling water, remove and wash under the cold water. Squeeze well to remove the remaining liquid. Sauté them in a pan with garlic, olive oil, salt, and chili pepper.

Once the focaccia is ready cut the small squares and filled them with chicory. Serve warm.