Reginette with Tuna Belly, Olives and Escarole

Method

1. Thinly slice 2–3 garlic cloves into rounds.
2. Sauté the garlic in extra virgin olive oil until golden. Do not burn.
3. Peel and cut the potato into small dice (about 1 cm). Keep the peel for other uses.
4. Add the potato to the pan along with 3 ladles of water (or vegetable broth), dried herbs (thyme, marjoram, oregano), and plenty of chopped parsley.
5. Cut the escarole into large pieces and add to the pan. Season with pepper and cook until the potatoes are almost tender.
6. Meanwhile, break the tuna belly (ventresca) into pieces with your hands. Do not cook it.
7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the reginette pasta until 3/4 done (al dente).
8. Transfer the pasta to the pan with the sauce, add the Puglian olives and diced smoked scamorza. Increase heat to high and finish cooking the pasta, stirring to let it absorb the flavors. Add more olive oil if needed.
9. Plate the pasta, grate Parmesan on top, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and place the raw ventresca pieces on top. Garnish with more parsley.