This is a salad that I often serve as an appetizer but it could be easily a light alternative for your main course. The Parmesan basket certainly gives a special touch to your appetizer presentation and it’s also good to nibble while tasting the salad. The baskets are simple to prepare if you follow my tips and can be prepared few hours before.

Ingredients:

For the salad:
3.2 oz. mixed baby salad (lamb salad, green and red salad bowl, baby spinach etc.)
15 cherry tomatoes or 2 plum tomatoes
1.5 oz. soy sprouts, about 1 heaping cup
3.5 oz. aged goat cheese like Buche de Chevre, you can use Parmesan cheese as well or an aged cheese of your choice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

For the baskets:
You need 6 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese per basket

Yields: 6 persons

Instructions:

To make the baskets:

1. Cut a  circle out of baking paper and place it in a large frying pan. Spread 6 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese evenly on the paper. Make it large enough to cover the bowl you choose to use as a mold.
2. Wait until the cheese is all melted. In the meantime prepare a bowl you will use for a mold and turn it upside down.
3. Carefully not to burn yourself, remove the sheet with parmesan without bending it. With a rapid movement turn it over onto your bowl. I use a regular spatula to turn it. To help shape the basket place a kitchen towel over it to hold the oven paper close to the bowl for about 5 minutes.
4. Slowly remove the rag and the parchment paper and let the basket dry on the bowl until you’ll serve the salad.

To prepare the salad:

1. In a big bowl add the salad, soy sprouts, walnuts and the cheese. Sprinkle the salad with salt, balsamic vinegar and olive oil and toss well.
2. Place the baskets on fruit plates. Carefully spoon the salad in the parmesan basket and serve.

Notes:

It’s impossible to make the bowls perfect. The defects are part of the charm. You can prepare the parmesan baskets 2 or 3 hours ahead.

Ingredients:

2 six oz. cans of tuna fish packed in extra virgin olive oil
4 cups Italian Butter beans*
1 cup sliced white or fresh red onions, you can also use green onions
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Drain the excess oil from the tuna and then put the tuna fish in a bowl with the beans and green onions.
2. Add olive oil and salt to taste.
3. Mix and serve.

Notes:

It is best with good chunky tuna that has been canned in extra virgin olive oil.

* The beans are called in Italian “Fagioli Bianchi di Spagna”, White Beans of Spain.

Ingredients:

6 medium size ripe tomatoes
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp. dry oregano
1/4 red onion sliced
6 leaves fresh basil
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Wash the tomatoes and slice them.
2. Add the garlic chopped finely, the oregano, the thinly sliced onion and the basil leaves sliced thinly. Mix well.
3. Refrigerate for about one hour before serving.
4. Just before serving add the oil and salt and mix well.

A summer salad that will brighten up your day with its vivid colors. Mozzarella pearls, fresh ripe tomatoes, black olives and capers make up one of the most common salads in Italy. This particular recipe is extremely tasty thanks to a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It can be prepared in no time and I’m sure that after you’ll taste it will be difficult not to make it over and over again. This salad is not a side dish, it can be served as an appetizer or as a main course. I often eat it for lunch, it’s light, healthy and believing or not fulfilling.

Ingredients:

4 medium tomatoes, you can also use cherry tomatoes
1 cup soft Italian mozzarella
1/2 cup black olives
2 Tbsp. capers
2 leaves fresh basil chopped
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and put them in a large bowl.
2. Cut the mozzarella into pieces and add them.
3. Now add the rest of the ingredients.
4. Mix well and serve.

Notes:

Adjust the quantity of the balsamic vinegar according to its strength. If you aren’t sure add a bit at a time. This recipe is good with cherry tomatoes too.

Ingredients:

6 medium size ripe tomatoes
1 to 2 Tbsp. finely chopped wild arugula
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
sea salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Wash the tomatoes and slice them.
2. In a bowl combine the tomatoes with all the other ingredients and serve.

Notes:

You’ll be surprised to find out how tasty this salad can be.

This is a variation of a salad with oranges. There are many ways to make this Sicilian salad, this one in particular I find very good.

Ingredients:

2 heads Belgian Endive salad (10oz.)
2 oranges
1 fennel (a bit more than 1 cup sliced)
1/2 cup thinly sliced white celery*
1/4 cup of roughly chopped walnuts
3 green olives thinly sliced
lemon juice
1 tsp. mustard
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Clean the salad and the fennel and slice them thinly.
2. Put them in a salad bowl and mix in the celery.
3. Add a spoon of lemon juice and mix it in so the salad doesn’t turn brown.
4. Now peel the orange removing all the “white” inner part of the peel. Then slice them horizontally and then cut the slices into spikes.
5. Add the oranges to the salad along with the walnuts and olives.
6. In a cup mix the olive oil, mustard, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper.
7. When they are well mixed you can pour it over the salad and mix in well.
8. Check to see the the salt and pepper are as you like and then serve.

Notes:

*I use the center, or heart of the celery, those stalks in the middle which are more tender and delicate.

Ingredients:

2 lb. potatoes
6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh finely chopped Italian parsley
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. oregano (dry)
a good pinch of pepper
salt to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large pot boil the potatoes whole in salted water until done.
2. In the meantime prepare the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Start by putting the oil salt, pepper and vinegar and beat them together with a fork.
3. Then add the oregano, garlic and parsley and continue beating with a fork until well combined.
4. When the potatoes are ready drain them and peel them. Be careful that you don’t burn your fingers. If you are not in a hurry let them cool a bit first.
5. Once the potatoes are peeled cut them into cubes and place them in a bowl.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
7. Serve immediately or put it in the refrigerator and serve later.

Notes:

This is a light potato salad perfect for the summer as a side dish.

This is potato and green bean salad enriched with Swiss cheese and black olives. It’s perfect when you need something to be prepared in advance, which makes it a great choice for picnics.

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes (about 2-3/4 pounds)
1 lbs. green beans
9 oz. Swiss cheese
1/2 cup black olives
5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Wash the potatoes and boil them whole in salted water until done.
2. In the mean time boil the green beans until cooked.
3. While the vegetables are cooking cut the Swiss cheese into cubes and slice the olives.
4. When the potatoes are ready drain them and, once they are cool enough to handle, peel them.
5. Once the potatoes are peeled cut them into cubes and place them in a bowl along with the cheese and olives.
6. Cut the beans into pieces about one inch long and add them to the rest.
7. Add the oil and salt to taste. You can eat it right away or put it in a cool places and eat it later.

Notes:

This dish can be served as an appetizer, as a main course or for picnics.

Panzanella is a hearty bread salad from Tuscany that utilizes dry Tuscan bread, tomatoes, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil. Tuscan bread is also called “pane sciocco”, an unsalted bread that is often added in Tuscan recipes to complement the dish. Panzanella is a dish that stand on its own, a refreshing dish to serve on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:

3 oz. dry Tuscan bread
4 large ripe tomatoes
1 small red onion
8-10 fresh basil leaves
6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. red wine vinegar (optional)
fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Break up the bread a bit in soak it in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.
2. Drain the water and squeeze out the bread well with your hands.
3. Break the bread up into little pieces and put it in a large bowl.
4. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and add them along with the onion thinly sliced.
5. Chop up the basil and add it too along with the oil, vinegar, a dusting of fresh round black pepper and salt to taste.
6. Mix well and serve.

Notes:

I put the vinegar as an optional since I prefer it without, however the Tuscan recipe calls for it.

This is a tasty and colorful salad that I like to make. You’ll notice that I haven’t given exact measures for the salad because a good mixed salad should be in part your own invention. One ingredient will never change though, extra virgin olive oil, it’s indispensable in all Italian salads.

Ingredients:

bunch of leaf salad
radicchio (red salad)
arugula
black olives
shredded carrot
tomatoes
corn
extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Clean all the ingredients.
2. Start with the leaf lettuce and then add some thinly sliced radicchio and arugula.
3. Now add some thinly sliced carrots, the corn, olives and some tomatoes.
4. Add olive oil and salt to taste.

Notes:

If the radicchio is too bitter for your tastes just add a few drops of red wine vinegar. Serve it up with a good glass of Soave and fresh bread. Of course there are no fixed rules for mixed salad. This recipe just happens to be one that I enjoy.