Not quite sure how many weeks we’ve been in quarantine already, but more so, every day, I’m opting for simple and flavorful meals. You don’t have to be a kitchen wizard. You just have to be open to how ingredients play together, and play with them. And for this recipe, nothing plays better than creamy white beans, rustic greens and loads of garlic.

Ages ago, one of my best friend Alessandra gave me some tips on Italian cooking (her family is from Sicily). One of her signature dishes is escarole with beans and garlic, and I was in love from the first bite.. It’s a no-fuss, simple recipe but delivers exactly what I need these days when spring is a bit on the cold side.

All you need is 4 ingredients: escarole, white beans, olive oil and garlic.

That’s it. Of course, season with salt, but that’s a given.

Note: You’ll need to wash the escarole very well as it tends to get dirty close to the root. Rinse, and leave it in a colander for when you’re ready to use it. Any residual water left on the leaves will be used to create a lovely broth to the dish.

1 head escarole, washed well, and torn/cut into bite sized pieces

1.5 cups white beans (I used cannellini)

1-2 tablespoons good olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves, sliced

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet or pot (I use an enamel cast iron dutch oven) and add in the oil and garlic. Season with a little salt, and lower the heat to medium so it doesn’t burn.
As soon as it turns fragrant, add in the escarole. Mix well until it starts to wilt a bit, then add the beans and a pinch of salt..
Lower the heat to medium low, cover, and cook through, for about 5 minutes (don’t over cook, you want the escarole to be bright green). Check the seasoning.
Plate and sprinkle with a little crushed red pepper flakes.