Salata Recipes

3-INGREDIENT MEDITERRANEAN SALAD

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, place the diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and parsley. Season with kosher salt and toss. Set aside for 5 minutes or so.
• Add the sumac, olive oil, and lemon juice. Give the salad a gentle toss. Enjoy!

SALATA

Steps:

• In a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic. Add the pepper and salt and continue mashing until mixture becomes a thick paste. Transfer to a jar along with the lemon juice and canola oil. Shake well.
• In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, tomatoes and onion. Just before serving, add the cheese and just enough dressing to coat. (There will be extra dressing, but it keeps well.) Toss well.

MELITZANOSALATA RECIPE

Steps:

• Keep the eggplant whole and pierce with a fork in a few places.
• Smoke the eggplant. Place the eggplant over a gas flame, grill or under a broiler, and cook, turning around using a pair of tongs, until the skin is fully charred, and the eggplant is quite tender.
• Cool and drain eggplant. Place the eggplant in a bowl and set aside until cool enough to handle (a bowl is helpful because the eggplant will release some juices). Peel the charred skins off and discard. Cut the eggplant into chunks and place in a colander to get rid of any remaining excess juices (about 10 more minutes).
• Transfer the eggplant to a mixing bowl. Add the garlic, onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil. Add salt and pepper and spices (if using). Mix to combine and use your fork to break up the eggplant into smaller chunks.
• At this point, if you have the time, it's a good idea to cover and chill the eggplant dip in the fridge for a few brief minutes.
• Transfer the eggplant dip to a serving plate and spread. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil. Arrange Garnish with lemon zest, parsley, red onions, olives, a sprinkle of feta. Serve with crusty bread or pita bread.

PASTA WITH LEMON, HERBS AND RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and add enough salt so that you can taste it. Bring to a boil. Pour the chicken broth into a small saucepan, drop in the garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce by half. Remove garlic. Shut off the heat; add the lemon zest and juice. Season to taste. It should be highly seasoned because this will be the sauce for the pasta. Keep warm. Place 4 serving bowls in a low oven.
• When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente. After five minutes, ladle out about 1 cup of the cooking water and reserve. Drain the pasta, shake, then return it to the pot. Place over low heat and pour in the chicken broth. Sprinkle in the mint, marjoram and fennel and a little olive oil. Stir. The pasta should be brothy and lemony. Add some of the reserved cooking water, salt and more lemon juice, if needed.
• Spoon into bowls so that the pasta is lying in a bit of broth. Crumble the ricotta over top, sprinkle with a dash more oil and grind pepper over the top. Serve.

PASTA SALAD WITH RICOTTA SALATA AND BROCCOLINI

Steps:

• Trim and discard the bottom 1/2-inch from the broccolini. Then cut the broccolini into 1-inch pieces. Steam broccolini covered in small skillet in 1/2 inch boiling water for 3 minutes, cold shock, and drain. Combine broccolini and pasta in a bowl.
• Return pan to stove over low heat and saute shallots and garlic in oil 2 minutes. Pour warm oil over pasta and broccolini. Crumble ricotta salata over pasta. Sprinkle the pasta with thyme, salt, and pepper, and toss to combine. Adjust seasonings and garnish salad with halved grape tomatoes.