Rice and Escarole Soup

Method

1. Finely chop half an onion, a carrot, and a celery stalk.
2. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a pot and add the chopped vegetables along with some chili pepper (fresh or dried). Sauté until fragrant.
3. Clean the escarole by removing the base and any damaged outer leaves. Cut into pieces and rinse.
4. Add a bit of tomato passata or peeled tomatoes to the soffritto and cook briefly.
5. Add the washed escarole to the pot, season with salt, and let it wilt for a minute.
6. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes until the escarole softens.
7. Add a couple of anchovies (optional) and the rice. Stir.
8. Cook the rice for about 15 minutes, until tender but the soup remains brothy.
9. Taste and adjust salt. The soup should not be too salty as it will reduce.
10. Serve in a bowl: place some grated pecorino at the bottom, ladle the soup over, top with more pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil.