Cavolo e Pane (Cabbage and Bread)

"This recipe is the one used by my mother during the time I was growing up. Occasionally, I add pancetta or prosciutto to it, but she asks why I want to ruin a perfectly good dish." Jerry DeAngelis

• 1 large Savoy cabbage
• 3 cups stale bread, broken into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces (about 3/4 pound)
• 1 cup milk (optional) or water
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon pepperoncini flakes (optional)
• Salt and freshly milled pepper to taste

METHOD

Cut cabbage in half, then in quarters. Remove the core, and slice each quarter into 1/2 inch slices. Chop slices in half.

Soak bread in water or milk. The preference is yours. When all bread is soft, including crust, squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.

Sauté garlic in 3 - 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan large enough to hold all of the cabbage. When color begins to brown, add all of the cabbage to the pan. If using pepperoncini flakes, sprinkle over cabbage and mix well. Add 1/2 the remaining olive oil. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes to keep mixture from burning.

Add remaining oil and bread to cabbage, and stir to thoroughly mix cabbage and bread. Cook until cabbage and bread attain approximately the same color, about 30 minutes. Add remaining oil as needed. The heat can be turned up to high when the color is correct to allow a crust to form on the pan side of the cabbage and bread.

Serve hot with a good red wine.

Serves: 4 to 6

recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

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Adapted from:www.theartisan.net
courtesy of Jerry De Angelis

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