Pantelleria salad, also called Pantesca, is the perfect dish for the summer! Fresh, tasty, and with all the flavors of the Mediterranean, it is perfect to bring to your table for a light and healthy lunch.
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Here I am again writing my favorite recipes. Due to surgery, I was forced to stop from the blog to take care of myself. But, today I come back with more motivation and a great desire to introduce you to delicious recipes with an authentic Italian flavor.
Summer has arrived and with it my desire to prepare fresh, healthy, and tasty lunches. This is why I want to prepare the Pantesca salad or Pantelleria salad for you. I love this salad because it is prepared in no time, and you hardly need to turn on the stove. In addition, it gives a lot of energy and the necessary charge to face the heat without, however, weighing us down.
About Pantelleria Island
The island of Pantelleria is located in the middle of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, 35 nautical miles from Tunisia. Called by the ancient peoples “Black Pearl” for its dark rocks and its jagged coasts, Pantelleria has an area of 83 sq km.
Moreover, Pantelleria is a real natural paradise! In fact, it is a timeless place, based on fishing in crystal clear and pristine waters. An immense heritage of biodiversity but also a place of welcome for the peoples of the Mediterranean.
The capers of Pantelleria
The most famous product of Pantelleria island is undoubtedly the Caper, which is the key ingredient of the recipe.
The Capers of Pantelleria, on the island, grow spontaneously. these are the only recognized superior quality capers and have the attribution of I.G.P. The Pantelleria caper boasts a centuries-old tradition and has been known since ancient times. Indeed, already Greek and Latin authors such as Dioscorides and Pliny spoke of it.
With its volcanic soil and warm and windy climate, the island of Pantelleria is the ideal habitat for caper shrubs. Walking on the island you will see many terraces with dry stone walls, where they naturally grow in the sun.
The shrubs have dark green leaves and pink-white flowers. Between late May and early September, the sprouted berries are harvested. But be careful: they cannot be eaten fresh because they are too bitter!
And here is the importance of sea salt, with which they are covered for about ten days in the vats, mixed with a skillful touch by the farmers who have handed down the art for generations.
The basic ingredients of Pantelleria Pantesca Salad
The Pantelleria salad recipe is a real hymn to Mediterranean flavors. A base of boiled potatoes, to which are added cherry tomatoes, crunchy onions, a fresh and tasty dose of capers, and then a shower of fragrant oregano and to finish the olives.
In addition to being an excellent side dish, this salad is also served as a cold main dish, and I assure you that it is really perfect after a long day at the beach!
Few tips to get a more intense salad
To obtain an excellent result, it is essential to find seasonal raw materials, so as to give the dish the right intensity of flavors.
To make my Pantelleria Pantesca Salad even more appetizing, here are a couple of useful tips:
- As you use Pantelleria Salted Capers, rinse them thoroughly before adding them to the salad. By doing this, you will be sure to get rid of all the grains of salt.
- After slicing the onion, leave it to soak in wine vinegar for 10 minutes. This will break down the sour taste of the onion and it will be more digestible.
- Once ready, let the salad rest in the refrigerator for 15 after preparation. This way the potatoes will perfectly absorb all the aromas.
Variations and replacements to the traditional recipe
The Pantelleria salad is known throughout southern Italy (and beyond). However, in parts of Sicily, it is enriched with fish in oil.
Excellent alternatives to enrich the salad are Tuna Fillets or Mackerel Fillets in oil (which are the basis for salads from the Aeolian Islands).
Another variant, based on fish in the Trapanese style, involves the addition of roasted octopuses.
On the other hand, I particularly like to add a couple of chopped Anchovies Fillets in oil and feel all the flavor of the sea!
But still, you can try adding a Greek influence to this delicious salad, with the use of excellent and fresh feta cheese cubes.
Finally, if you want, you can also add some lettuce or arugula leaves to your salad.
Pantelleria "Pantesca" Salad
This amazing Pantelleria "Pantesca" Salad encloses all Mediterranean flavors: potatoes, capers, onion, olives, and fragrant oregano!
Ingredients
- 400gr potatoes
- 20 g capers from Pantelleria in salt
- 350 g cherry tomatoes
- 80 gr olives
- 5 sp wine vinegar
- 5 sp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pinches of salt
- 1 pinch of black pepper
- 1 sp of oregano
- 2 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Firstly, peel and dice potatoes.
- Put potatoes into a pot with cold water and keep it boil for 10/15 minutes. When you can easily pierce a fork through the potatoes, drain them. Let them cool aside.
- Wash and dry tomatoes and the onion. Slice the onion and let it rest for about 10 minutes in a cup filled with vinager.
- Cut the tomatoes and put them into a bowl with a little of salt.
- Wash capers and add them to the tomatoes.
- When potatoes will be colded, add them to the salad bowl, then drain the onion and add it too.
- Finally add the olives and sprinkle the salat with oregano, pepper and salt and at last, the extra virgin olive oil.
- Let the salad rest in the fridge for 10 minutes before taste it.
- Buon Appetito!
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Great post also salad looks delicious and healthy. I am gonna try making this weekend.
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