Hi,
you can connect direct to the pins of port two of the ESS but it's not recommended. One slip-up when plugging into the very fine pins of the IDC header and you'll fry the ESS.
Get yourself a C10 breakout board, $23.00. It's a simple one port bi-directional breakout board which has buffering between the ESS and the inputs/outputs of the C10. Any slip-up
will not therefore fry the ESS.
Craig