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X Italian Vegetable and Side Dishes
Insalata di Patate e Pomodori
Insalata di Patate e Pomodori (Potato and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil, Version II)
Originated from: Casacalenda, Molise
Occasion: Any time
Contributed by: Mary Melfi (her mother's recipe)

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Ingredients

4 medium potatoes
3 small tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon (dried) oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper (optional)

A large pot of water to boil potatoes in





Directions

o Boil potatoes.

o Chop garlic.

o Cut tomatoes into chunks.

o When the potatoes are ready, remove peel. Cut into chunks.

o Toss the potatoes (while still hot) with the tomatoes, olive oil and seasoning.

o Serve immediately (while the potatoes are still warm) or at room temperature.




Notes

This potato and tomato salad (or side dish) can be seasoned with fresh basil or (dried) oregano. Of course, some home cooks use both fresh basil and oregnao. Personally, I prefer the dish seasoned just with oregano, but as they say -- to each his own.... In any case, both versions of this famous Molisana dish were done in the 1930s. Obviously, back then this dish was only done when both tomatoes and potatoes were in season as nothing was imported from other areas of the world. In fact, very little was brought in to Molise from other regions of Italy (the one exception seems to be Northern Italy's famous miniature "torrone" bars which most Southerners couldn't get enough of). It wasn't until the early 1950s that food products from Northern Italy (e.g. mortatella) began to be sold in the South. At the turn of the last century most foods consumed were locally produced -- generally within a 30 mile radius.... Photo: Mary Melfi. P.S. The photo does not include fresh basil (an oversight).

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