Insalata Pantesca (Pantelleria-Style Salad)
Adapted from Food of the Italian Islands, by Katie Parla. In her headnote, Parla explains that on Pantelleria and the Aeolian Islands (just off Sicily), a salad like this is served as a side dish with or after a main course. She suggests adding some high-quality canned tuna such as ventresca di tonno (tuna belly) if you’d like to turn it into a main course. We’ll definitely be trying that next time — meanwhile; it’s delicious as written. Use either pitted or unpitted olives.
Note: When recipes adapted from another source do not specify the amount of salt to be used, we normally like to figure out the right amount so as not to leave readers blindly guessing. In this case, however, the extreme variability of the salad’s capers and olives make it impossible to commit to a quantity. Begin seasoning the salad with just a pinch, then taste and adjust accordingly.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
2 medium red (or other waxy) potatoes
Sea salt
2 cups / 340 grams cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 small red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch / 6 mm rings or arcs
1/4 cup / 45 grams black olives, rinsed
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed, soaked until their saltiness mellows, then drained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup / 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup / 60 ml good-quality red wine vinegar
Instructions
1. Put the potatoes in a medium pot and add water to cover and a heavy pinch of salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then cook the potatoes until just until fork-tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes, slice them crosswise into 1/4-inch / 6 mm slices and drop them into a medium bowl.
2. Add the tomatoes, onion, olives, capers and oregano to the potatoes in the bowl. Season with salt and toss with the olive oil and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature. The salad will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Insalata Pantesca (Pantelleria-Style Salad)
Ingredients
- 2 medium red (or other waxy) potatoes
- Sea salt
- 2 cups / 340 grams cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 small red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch / 6 mm rings or arcs
- 1/4 cup / 45 grams black olives, rinsed
- 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed, soaked until their saltiness mellows, then drained
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup / 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml good-quality red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a medium pot and add water to cover and a heavy pinch of salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then cook the potatoes until just until fork-tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes, slice them crosswise into 1/4-inch / 6 mm slices and drop them into a medium bowl.
- Add the tomatoes, onion, olives, capers and oregano to the potatoes in the bowl. Season with salt and toss with the olive oil and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature. The salad will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
