Tricolore with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Anchovy Dressing
The red, green, and white tricolore salad, traditionally composed of radicchio, frisée, and endive, is just one of the many ways that Italians celebrate their flag. I like tricolore salads, but this version, which is tossed in an anchovy-enhanced dressing with lots of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, was my way of sneaking the flavors of a Caesar salad onto the Pizzeria menu without calling it a Caesar. In the rare instance that a Caesar salad is done well, it is one of my favorite salads, but Caesar salad is such a cliché on Italian-American menus—and it’s not even Italian; it was invented in Tijuana—I could never have put it on my menu as such.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course
Ingredients
For the Dressing
For the Salad
Preparation
Step 1
To make the dressing, combine the anchovies, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade or the jar of a blender and purée. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube to create an emulsion. Turn off the machine, taste for seasoning, and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if desired. Use the dressing or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. Bring the dressing to room temperature, whisk to recombine the ingredients, and taste again for seasoning before using.
Step 2
To prepare the salad, discard any brown or unappealing outer leaves from the endive and frisée. Pull the leaves away from the cores, putting them in a large, wide bowl, and discard the cores. Add the arugula, sprinkle with salt, and toss gently to combine the lettuces and distribute the salt evenly. Drizzle 1/2 cup of the dressing, sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and toss gently to coat the lettuce leaves with the dressing. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or dressing, if desired.
Step 3
Pile the salad on a large plate or divide it among four individual plates. Sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.
