Escarole Sautéed Apulian-Style with Olive Oil, Garlic, Anchovies, and Chili Pepper

Had I paid closer attention, I could have filled a book with the dishes that the Apulian woman who was my mother’s companion used to cook. Among the things I remember best was her way of cooking wild chicory, broccoletti di rape, and other bitter vegetables. She blanched them and sautéed them in olive oil. In the oil she dissolved anchovies that served to take some of the edge off the vegetable’s bitter bite. She served the vegetable with fried bread squares that lengthened the taste