Ingredients

2 pounds or more escarole

　　6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic

　　1/3 cup small capers, drained

　　1/3 cup Gaeta olives, pitted

　　1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt

　　1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste

　　

Step 1

Trim off the base of the escarole, separate the leaves, and discard any that are wilted or blemished. Rinse and drain the leaves, and chop them into shreds about an inch wide.

　　

Step 2

Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil in the big skillet, set it over medium-high heat, and stir in the garlic. Cook for a minute or so, until sizzling, then pile in all the escarole, and tumble the shreds over and over with tongs, over high heat. Scatter the capers and olives on top, season with the salt and peperoncino, and toss. Pour 1/2 cup water into the pan, and cover tightly.

　　

Step 3

Steam the escarole for about 5 minutes. Uncover the pan, and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until all the moisture has been cooked off and the filling is condensed and fairly dry, about 20 minutes more. Near the end of cooking, drizzle over it the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss.

　　

Step 4

Cool the filling before assembling the tiella.

　　From Lidia's Italy by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. Copyright (c) 2007 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York.