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Epicurious

Verdure di Primio Maggio con Polenta (Mixed Greens of the First of May with Polenta

The “greens of the first of May” are a spring treat I enjoy if I happen to be lucky enough to be wandering around Italy on the first of May. The mixture of spinach, anchovies, capers, and olives is stuffed and cooked inside a dough pocket, like an empanada. Here, I pile it atop a favorite of mine, creamy polenta.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

Omit

2 tablespoons of the EVOO (you’ll still need 3 tablespoons)
Chicken
Tomatoes
Parsley

Swap

20 chopped good-quality pitted green Sicilian olives (in bulk tubs near the deli) for the black olives

Add

3 to 4 cups or baby spinach leaves, trimmed and coarsely chopped
3 to 4 cups fresh dandelion greens, trimmed and chopped (1 bunch)
1/4 to 3/8 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the polenta exactly as directed in the master recipe, #228.

    Step 2

    While the polenta cooks, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the EVOO, the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes and “melt” the anchovies into the oil. Add the spinach and the dandelion greens.Turn the greens to coat and wilt them together, season with black pepper and nutmeg, and mix in the olives. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice. Taste to adjust the seasonings.

    Step 3

    Spoon the polenta into shallow bowls and top with the spring greens.

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