Divina Cucina

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Italian Kitchen Tools- Taglia Puntarelle

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I am a sucker for kitchen toys!

The puntarelle are a kind of chicory. The plant has leaves on the outside which are also edible but the treat are these chubby “fingers”. They get cut into tiny threads and then soaked in cold water to curl and crisp up.

In Rome, it is possible to buy the fingers already cut,pre-soaked ready for salad. I finally talked one of the vendors into selling me her “cutter” one day. Then I  gave mine away and the next time all that was available were the plastic ones.

Last trip up to Bologna, I went into one of my favorite kitchen stores, the Antica Aguzzeria del Cavallo. Shoppers beware, it has some really fabulous things! The bronze pasta cutters are lovely!
I had spotted the the “cutter” in the window as I was walking by.

The puntarelle are made into a traditional salad. Once they have been soaked and then drained, dress with a anchovy, garlic, olive oil and salt dressing.

 

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Italian Kitchen Tools- Taglia Puntarelle

Ingredients

  • 1 head Chicroy for Puntarelle
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 or two salt cured anchovies, first soaked then boned
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Crush the 2 anchovies and 1 garlic clove into a paste.
  2. Add the juice of 1 lemon and whip in about 1/2 olive oil and salt to taste.
  3. To prepare the puntarelle, i use the tool shown on the page, but you can also simply cut the little "fingers" into tiny strips.
  4. The trick is to soak them in cold water, they will lightly curl and crisp.
  5. It reminds me of a Caesar Salad dressing, which was invented in Tijuana by two Italians. Maybe they were Roman?
  6. I simply make a nice lemon juice and olive oil vinaigrette with some salt, then add anchovy pieces into the salad. My husband doesn't like raw garlic a lot.
https://divinacucina.com/2012/12/italian-kitchen-tools-taglia-puntarelle/

When in Rome!!!!  Walk first through the markets to see what is in season, then order it in the restaurant!

We ADORE seasonal specialties!!!

If you are looking for the tagliapuntarelle–Here is a shop outside of Rome that sells two versions and will ship.

 

I would simply wait to come to Rome.I don’t think they ship outside of Rome, someone just emailed me saying I didn’t ship from my site, not realizing it was simply a link.

Comments

  4. Elizabeth Minchilli says

    Thanks for the shout out! I love that you found the tool in Bologna. Until very recently (like 5 years ago) puntarelle was definitely just a Roman thing. Now it’s spread all over Italy. In Puglia they eat the spears cooked, and they’re delicious. Sweeter than regular chicory.

  5. Amber says

    Can’t wait to try it….I am forcing my first Puntarelle pods and hopefully they will be all formed by Christmas for dinner! I will have to cut by hand though…hmmm…maybe my husband can make one of those gadgets!

  7. Roz P. says

    Oh I wish that I had known about this culinary shop in Bologna when I visited my homeland of Emilgia-Romagna this past October! I am so like you in that i love all things regarding Italian and kitchen tools/gadgets! Nothing could be more fun to me than to find shops such as you have recommended! I will try to find these on the Internet! Thank you kindly for your tips and advice and lovely, lovely blog that I’ve enjoyed following for years!

    Ciao,
    Roz from ‘la bella vita’

  10. Frank Fariello says

    One of the vegetables that I most miss from my Roman days! These days I used the hearts of chickory or frisée with the same sauce, just to get a hint of those flavors but, of course, it’s not the same. ;=(

  24. Liz Graham-Yooll says

    I love puntarelli and take ages cutting them into those fine strips … I had no idea that there was a special tool; brilliant and I shall look out for one now:)

  29. jrose529 says

    I just found your blog while searching for a Taglia Puntarelle. I was in Rome this past June with my family and we took a fabulous cooking class where we used this wonderful tool. We tried to purchase it at a cooking store, but they were sold out. I went to the inventor’s site, but since I can’t speak or read Italian, I have no idea how to order! I would love to order 3 so I can give one to each of my kids and keep one for myself. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!