Insalata Catanese

All Recipes
SERVES 4

Ingredients

  • 400g Cherry Tomatoes (room temperature)
  • ½ Red Onion
  • 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
  • 25g Ricotta Salata
  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Sea salt

A fresh vibrant salad, originating from Catania, situated on the eastern coast of Sicily.

This is a robust salad with strong, salty ricotta salata cheese (salted ricotta) surrounding the well balanced sweetness of red onion and acidity of tomatoes, perfect for a side salad with meat (like our Involtini di Pollo) or fish.

We use pomodoro di Pachino when we can find them in the UK, these are a variety of tomatoes grown in Pachino itself and have been IGP protected since 2003. IGP represents protected geographical indication, certifying food products that are either produced, processed or prepared at their place of origin. You will discover many products in Sicily which are IGP as Sicilians are proud of their land!

It is known that traditionally the Catanese use the cipolla rossa di Tropea from Calabria in this salad, also called the “red gold” of Calabria. Just a stone’s throw away using the Stretto di Messina or Strait of Messina you can reach Calabria from Sicily in just a 30 minute boat ride.

Method

Finely slice the red onion and place in a bowl filled with cold water and leave to soak for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, drain the water and refresh the water and leave for a further 10 minutes to soak.

In the meantime in a mixing bowl, add the extra virgin olive oil, 2 pinches of sea salt and the dried oregano and mix well together. Wash and slice the tomatoes in half, and mix through the olive oil and oregano dressing.

To assemble the salad, take a serving dish and scatter in the dressed cherry tomatoes, sprinkle over the drained finely sliced red onion and generously cover with thick gratings of ricotta salata cheese.

Great served alongside our Involtini di Pollo!

Buon Appetito!