Chef Graziella
Cavolo Cappuccio in Insalata
The cabbage slaw of the Alto Adige, where Austrian traditions meet Italian restraint. Caraway seeds give it character, vinegar gives it brightness, and time gives it depth.
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Insalata di Patate all'Italiana
Created by
The potato salad of Italian summers, dressed while warm with olive oil and vinegar, scattered with capers and olives. No mayonnaise has ever touched it. None ever will.
Salads
Italian
Potluck
Picnic
BBQ
20 min
Active Time
25 min cook•45 min total
Yield6 servings
Americans see potato salad and reach for the mayonnaise. Italians see potatoes and reach for the olive oil. This fundamental difference explains everything about how our cuisines diverge.
The secret to Italian potato salad is not a secret at all. You dress the potatoes while they are warm. Warm potatoes are porous, receptive, eager to absorb whatever you give them. Cold potatoes are dense and stubborn. They sit in the dressing without taking it in. Every Italian grandmother knows this. It is curious that so few American cooks have learned it.
This is a summer dish, best made when you can eat it outdoors with grilled fish or chicken. The capers and olives provide salt and brine. The celery adds crunch. The herbs remind you that you are eating something alive, something from the garden. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in. There is no onion here because the shallot is enough. There is no garlic because it would overwhelm. Restraint is not deprivation. It is wisdom.
Potato salads dressed with oil and vinegar appear throughout the Mediterranean, but the Italian versions distinguish themselves through restraint and regional variation. Coastal regions add capers and olives from local production. Inland areas might use more herbs. The technique of dressing warm potatoes likely came north from Naples, where cooks understood that temperature determines absorption.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
waxy potatoes
Quantity
2 pounds
Yukon Gold or fingerling
kosher salt
Quantity
for cooking water and seasoning
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
1/3 cup, plus more for drizzling
red wine vinegar
Quantity
3 tablespoons
shallot
Quantity
1 small
minced very fine
capers
Quantity
2 tablespoons
rinsed and drained
Gaeta or Taggiasca olives
Quantity
1/3 cup
pitted and halved
celery stalk
Quantity
1
sliced thin on the bias
fresh flat-leaf parsley
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped
fresh oregano leaves
Quantity
1 tablespoon
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| waxy potatoesYukon Gold or fingerling | 2 pounds |
| kosher salt | for cooking water and seasoning |
| extra virgin olive oil | 1/3 cup, plus more for drizzling |
| red wine vinegar | 3 tablespoons |
| shallotminced very fine | 1 small |
| capersrinsed and drained | 2 tablespoons |
| Gaeta or Taggiasca olivespitted and halved | 1/3 cup |
| celery stalksliced thin on the bias | 1 |
| fresh flat-leaf parsleychopped | 2 tablespoons |
| fresh oregano leaves | 1 tablespoon |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Large pot for boiling potatoes
- •Thin sharp knife for testing doneness
- •Wide shallow serving bowl
Instructions
- 1
Cook the potatoes properly
Place the potatoes whole and unpeeled in a large pot. Cover with cold water by two inches. Add enough salt to make the water taste like the sea. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook until a thin knife slips easily into the center without resistance, 20 to 25 minutes depending on size. The potatoes must be tender throughout but not falling apart.
Starting potatoes in cold water ensures they cook evenly from outside to center. Hot water would cook the exterior before the inside is done. - 2
Prepare the dressing
While the potatoes cook, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and minced shallot in a small bowl. Let the shallot soften in the acid. This is your window to prepare the other ingredients.
- 3
Slice the potatoes warm
Drain the potatoes and let them cool just until you can handle them, no more than five minutes. Peel them while still warm. The skins slip off easily when the potatoes are hot. Slice into rounds about one-third inch thick and place in a wide serving bowl.
This step cannot wait. Warm potatoes absorb the dressing. Cold potatoes repel it. The difference between a good potato salad and a great one happens in these few minutes. - 4
Dress immediately
Pour the dressing over the warm potato slices. Toss gently with your hands or two wooden spoons, taking care not to break the slices. The potatoes should glisten. Season generously with salt and pepper. Let stand for 10 minutes so the potatoes absorb the dressing.
- 5
Add the remaining ingredients
Scatter the capers, olives, celery, parsley, and oregano over the potatoes. Toss once more, gently. Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar. The salad should be bright but not sharp.
- 6
Serve at room temperature
Transfer to a serving platter if desired. Drizzle with additional olive oil. Serve at room temperature. Never cold. Cold mutes everything you have worked to build.
Chef Tips
- •Waxy potatoes hold their shape when sliced. Starchy potatoes like russets crumble into mush. Yukon Golds have the ideal balance of texture and flavor. Fingerlings are even better if you can find them.
- •Gaeta olives from Lazio or Taggiasca olives from Liguria are mild and meaty. Kalamata olives are too assertive, their flavor drowning out everything else. If you cannot find Italian olives, use the least aggressive olive you can source.
- •Make this salad one to two hours before serving. It needs time for the flavors to marry, but not so long that the herbs wilt and the potatoes dry out.
- •The salad travels well for picnics and potlucks. Pack the final drizzle of olive oil separately and add it just before serving to refresh the appearance.
Advance Preparation
- •The salad is best made one to two hours ahead and held at room temperature. Do not refrigerate if serving the same day.
- •If you must make it a day ahead, refrigerate and bring to room temperature one hour before serving. Add fresh herbs and a splash of oil just before presenting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 190g)
Calories
235 calories
Total Fat
13 g
Saturated Fat
2 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
10 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
290 mg
Total Carbohydrates
27 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
2 g
Protein
3 g
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