LONG, LEAFY ITALIAN GREENS OFFER DELICIOUS VERSATILITY.

Byline: Deborah S. Hartz Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

I remember my first taste of Italian greens. It was about 20 years ago and I was visiting my sister and brother-in-law in New York City. We were at one of those homey Italian restaurants that line Mott, Grand and Mulberry streets in Little Italy. And my brother-in-law, who worked nearby, had ordered a plateful of broccoli rabe.

When it came to the table, I hadn't a clue what it was. The large, leafy greens looked like spinach interspersed with florets that resembled yellow broccoli. The whole thing was aromatic with garlic and nutty olive oil.

I lifted a portion of the long leafy greens onto my plate, took a bite and was immediately captivated by the pleasant bitterness of the crunchy greens. What a delight.

Now, two decades later, Italian greens are showing up in restaurants and are sold everywhere from supermarkets to health food stores to Italian specialty shops. Among the most readily available in the United States are broccoli rabe (also called rape or rapini), escarole and arugula.

Chefs like these greens because they can be used in so many different dishes: soups, casseroles, stews, sautes. Unlike other vegetables, they also provide a pleasantly bitter aftertaste and are good in rustic style dishes.

Greens have long been popular in Italy because virtually every family could grow them in the back yard. How a family enjoys these greens depends upon where they live. For example, natives of Puglia on the southwest coast of Italy eat broccoli rabe with orecchiette (round pasta shapes also called ``little ears'') in a sauce of olive oil, anchovies and garlic. In Campania, an area known for its pork products, the rabe is served with sausage. And in Romagna, conum or stone-griddle cooked dumplings (peasants living there didn't have ovens) are stuffed with greens and served with Sangiovese, a dry red wine produced in the region.

Here are some tips and ideas for preparing the greens at home:

Broccoli rabe: Broccoli rabe is one of the most under-utilized and misunderstood of the Italian greens. People assume it will taste like broccoli, when in fact, it is more flavorful than spinach and different from broccoli.

Also called broccoli raab, rapini and rape, broccoli rabe needs to be cooked to bring out its flavors, note some chefs. You can first steam the rabe, then run it under cold water to remove some of its bitterness. After that, add it to a dish.

You can also saute it with a cooked penne, ziti or bow ties, then add garlic, hot chilies and fresh lemon. Also try the sauteed rabe as a bed on which to serve grilled seafood.

Another idea: Cook broccoli rabe with seafood. Simply place fish in a baking dish, top it with a little olive oil, a sprinkling of salt and a bit of fish stock and put the rabe on top. Cover and bake, until the rabe and fish are done. Then remove the broccoli rabe and reduce the pan juices into a sauce. Serve the broccoli rabe with the fish.

You can also saute steamed rabe with cooked pasta, shrimp and tomatoes.

But there are many other uses for this pungent green. Its firm leaves keep their color and flavor in soups and ravioli fillings.

PENNE AI RAPINI E SALSICCIA

1 1/4 pounds rapini, ends of stems trimmed

1 pound dried penne

1/2 pound bulk mild Italian pork sausage, crumbled

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese OR to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rapini and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Then chop greens into bite-sized pieces.

Fill same pot with salted water again and bring to a boil over high heat. Add penne and cook according to package directions until al dente.

Meanwhile, in a skillet over high heat, heat sausage and 1/4 cup water. As sausage cooks, break it up with a wooden spoon into bits. Once all water has evaporated, let sausage brown a little. Reduce heat to medium, then add remaining 1 tablespoon of water; loosen any bits from bottom of pan with spoon.

Add olive oil and garlic; saute until garlic begins to change color, then add cooked greens; saute 2 to 3 minutes or until greens are heated through. Season with salt and pepper; remove skillet from heat.

When pasta is cooked, drain it and toss with sausage mixture, adding butter and cheese. Serve at once. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 399 calories; 11 grams protein; 19 grams fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 24 milligrams cholesterol; 241 milligrams sodium.

From ``The Classic Pasta Cookbook,'' by Giuliano Hazan (DK, 1993).

ARUGULA: Arugula (also called rocket) should be used raw in salads, many chefs agree, where its nutty aroma and peppery flavor add a special touch. It's so delicate you shouldn't mask it with a heavy dressing. Toss it with a little nut oil and lemon or a light balsamic vinaigrette.

If you must heat arugula, however, add it to a dish only during the last minutes of cooking to avoid it dissolving to nothing. You can also use it in arugula chowder made with apple-smoked bacon, chicken stock, potatoes and arugula leaves and stems left over from salad making. Puree the mixture with a touch of cream and serve in a bowl with a mound of shredded arugula, which adds its fresh peppery taste.

CAFE ARUGULA CHOWDER 1 (6-ounce) bunch arugula

3 strips apple-smoked OR regular bacon, finely diced

1/3 cup diced onions

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon flour

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces EACH) reduced-sodium chicken broth OR 2 cups homemade chicken stock

1 large Idaho potato, peeled and finely diced

1/2 teaspoon EACH salt and pepper OR to taste

1/4 cup whipping cream

Chop 3/4 of bunch of arugula. Remove leaves from remaining part of bunch and julienne leaves; chop stems.

In a large pot over medium heat, saute bacon until fat is rendered (bacon should not be crisp).

Add onions and garlic; saute 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add flour, stir to combine and cook 1 minute.

Add chicken broth, bring to a boil over high heat.

Add chopped arugula and all but 1/2 cup diced potatoes.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and gently boil 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Puree in a food processor fitted with metal blade or a blender (this may have to be done in batches). Season with salt and pepper.

Return to pot, add reserved potatoes and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until potatoes are soft.

Add cream and heat through but do not boil. Garnish with julienned arugula. Makes about 5 servings.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 142 calories; 5 grams protein; 8 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 20 milligrams cholesterol; 362 milligrams sodium.

CAFE ARUGULA'S BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Use this vinaigrette to dress a simple salad of fresh Italian greens with lots of arugula.

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup pure olive oil

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 large clove garlic, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place vinegar in a large bowl and slowly whisk in olive oils until mixture is thick and emulsified. Add seasonings and adjust to taste.

Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour to blend flavors. Dressing keeps in refrigerator 2 weeks; bring to room temperature before using. Makes 3/4 cup.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER 1-TABLESPOON SERVING: 108 calories; 0.01 grams protein; 12 grams fat; 0.22 grams carbohydrates; 0 cholesterol; 0.08 milligrams sodium.

Escarole: Although most people use escarole in salads or hearty soups, it also makes a tasty vegetable side dish.

Its slightly bitter flavor and crunchy texture hold up better under heat than most of the other greens. Try sauteeing it with hot chili peppers and onions and using as a bed for seafood or meat.

Or saute a little onion with pancetta (Italian bacon), drain off the fat and add some steamed escarole and a little olive oil.

Florida chef Steve Petusevsky stuffs each leaf individually with a bean, rice or seafood stuffing before rolling it into a neat package and baking it. Here's how.

STEVE PETUSEVSKY'S ESCAROLE STUFFED

WITH TUSCAN BEANS

FILLING:

2 teaspoons pure olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (16 ounces) red kidney beans OR cannellini beans, drained, rinsed and lightly mashed

1/2 cup cooked brown OR basmati rice 

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 large head escarole, rinsed (26 to 28 large leaves)

2 cups marinara OR tomato sauce

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs

To make filling, heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients and saute 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make escarole, place 1-inch water in a large pot and bring to a boil; place cold water with ice in a large bowl. Put head of escarole in boiling water, cover and cook a few seconds or until leaves just begin to wilt, about 1 minute. Remove from water and plunge into ice water; drain.

Separate head of escarole into leaves by cutting across it about 2 inches from stem end (Remove thick stem of each leaf).

Cover a work counter with paper towels. Take 2 leaves and place on paper towels with leaves overlapping about 1 inch along their long edges, with short edges toward you.

Place 1 tablespoon filling at end of leaves closest to you. Fold in long edges and then roll from bottom toward top of leaves, making a small package (you may have to trim away more of tough stem to make rolling possible).

Place about 1 cup marinara sauce in a 2-quart baking dish. Arrange stuffed leaves in a single layer over sauce.

Top with remaining marinara sauce, sprinkle with cheese and crumbs.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is golden brown. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 187 calories; 8 grams protein; 6 grams fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 886 milligrams sodium.

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Photo: (Color) Italian greens can be used in a variety of w ays, such as in soups, sauteed with seafood or mixed with beans and garlic in olive oil.

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel