Pasta with Baccalà, Curly Endive and Tomato

Method

1. Clean the curly endive: separate the dark green leaves from the tender light ones. Cut the dark green part into strips and set aside the white part.
2. In a pot, heat olive oil with a garlic clove. Add the diced red potato and fry until lightly browned.
3. Add the dark green endive strips, stir, add a little water, and cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes: make a cross incision on each, blanch in boiling water, then peel and chop the pulp.
5. Add the tomatoes to the pot, stir, and cook for a few minutes.
6. Add the white part of the endive and a little more water. Season with salt and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Cut the smoked provola into small cubes.
8. Cut the baccalà (previously soaked for 48-72 hours) into small cubes.
9. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.
10. Add the drained pasta to the sauce pot, mix well. Then add the baccalà cubes and provola cubes, stirring until the provola starts to melt.
11. Serve with a generous grind of black pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and optional chili pepper flakes.