I made a salad today...that's what it was. I thought it would be a cooked meal. It began when Gino told me I had to eat puntarella. I had to get to the computer and look it up to tell you: it is a late fall or early spring chicory.
That still doesn't tell me anything. It's a green salad vegetable, there you are. M. used to make it, but of course all I know is that I ate it. I didn't remember what it is.
Gino said to make some puntarella with gorganzola, he made the sign that it is tasty. Today I was game for it. I know that Sandro from Pisa always takes back some punterella when he comes to Rome. This is the knowledge i had in my head when i went to the market.
At the regular vegetable stand we shop with they said it was sold out. No puntarella today. I was too late. It will be around for a while so I could get some Monday.
Okay, I tried another seller and again, they were sold out. I was starting too late in the morning. Went to my old favorites Roberto and Mirella and Andrea and they were out. The guy in the booth next to them heard me ask, and he had some. I bought enough for a meal.
I talked with Joel from Spain who works at a restaurant nearby, told him my project and he said I could buy aliche at Roggiari, the market on the corner.
"In a little tim?" I was thinking sardines in america.
"No. They're fresh."
I remember Gino said I needed alici.
I went to the market and bought a handful...well, a large spoonful. They're too messy to handle. Actually it was about four large spoonfuls. I told him I needed enough for one meal, he sold me more than I needed.
I went back and talked to the guy who worked with Joel to find out how I put it all together.
"You eat it like a salad," he said.
"I thought you cook it." I was thinking hot food.
"Like a salad." He went on to explain, "Add oil and mix in the aliche but chopped into small pieces, and leave it sit for an hour and a half.
I went back and checked with Gino and he said I could add gorgonzola. I had asked Joel about the cheese and he never heard of that. Joel's contribution was, "Eat it with a piece of bread."
At home I was ready to begin, put the puntarella and chopped anchovies in a bowl, added olive oil, stirred it around. I leaned out the window. Mario was down there. I knew the salad had to sit an hour. He knew what I was working on, I shouted down, "Do I cover it?" It wasn't really a shout. It was quiet outside and I just spoke clearly and he heard me.
He said no. I saw his answer more with the expression on his face than his voice. It wasn't necessary to cover it.
Gino had told me to add chili peppers and chunks of gorganzola cheese when I eat it, and made that knuckle twisting gesture on the cheek that indicated delicious. But it wasn't necessary to remind me about adding hot peppers, I put hot peppers on everything but oatmeal and ice cream.
I stirred the salad every fifteen minutes, mixing the flavors, and ate it after an hour of soaking up the oil and blended of flavors. I poured a glass of the white romanella wine Mario gave me, used a piece of brown grain bread I got the other day at the market, and ate the salad. Yes, I liked it. It was light and flavorful. I ate half and saved enough for supper.
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