Nonnas Broccoli Rapini Italian Salad Style Recipes

NONNA'S TUSCAN SALAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Place the mayonnaise, vinegar, water, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, oregano, basil, and black pepper into a blender. Blend for 2 minutes, then pour into a salad dressing container, and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Shake well before using.

NONNA'S BROCCOLI RAPINI, ITALIAN "SALAD STYLE"

Steps:

• Rinse the rapini and trim off at least 1 inch of the bottom stalk. In a dutch oven pot, fill with about 3-4 inches of water. When water boils, add 1 teaspoon of salt and then the rapini. Cook just until the fork goes into the stem, but do not over cook. Drain.
• Arrange the cooked rapini on a platter. Squeeze liberal amounts of fresh lemon juice and drizzle with EVOO. Add salt and pepper to taste, chili flakes optional.
• Best served if hot or room temperature.

NONNA'S ITALIAN CROSTOLI

Steps:

• Beat eggs, water, and almond flavoring together in a large bowl. Add salt; gradually stir in flour to make a stiff dough.
• Knead the dough until it can be rolled out very thinly. Split dough into fist-sized balls; roll out into thin strips using a pasta machine. Cut dough strips into triangles.
• Divide sugar among 3 bowls. Add cinnamon to one bowl, green food coloring to the next, and red food coloring to the last. Stir to evenly distribute the additions.
• Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Place the dough triangles into the hot oil. Fry, turning until golden brown on both sides, about 1 minute. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle both sides with one of the sugar toppings.

ITALIAN BROCCOLI SALAD

Steps:

• Rinse the sliced shallot under cold water and transfer to a large bowl.
• Cut the stalks away from the broccoli heads. Using a knife or vegetable peeler, remove the fibrous outer layer of the stalks so its light green insides emerge; compost or discard the outer layer. Thinly slice the stalks crosswise, then thinly slice the heads into bite-size pieces. (A mix of shapes and sizes adds texture to the salad, so chop up the broccoli a few ways; there's no one right way to go about it.) Transfer to the large bowl as you go, then transfer any loose bits from the cutting board to the bowl.
• Season the broccoli generously with salt and pepper, then add the almonds, pickled peppers, olives, oil, vinegar and provolone. Toss vigorously with a spoon until everything is combined and the broccoli is shiny with oil.
• Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, oil and vinegar as needed. Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving. The salad improves with age as its flavors meld, and it can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Before serving, bring to room temperature and adjust salt, pepper, oil and vinegar to taste, as flavors change in the fridge.