Traditional Italian recipes for Italian Salad, Italian Dressing, and Italian Cheese Toast.
ITALIAN SALAD
(6 Servings)
1 cup cooked beets
1 cup cooked carrots
1 cup chopped celery
head lettuce
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup cucumbers, pared, seeded and diced
Mayonnaise thinned with cream or sour cream
Prepare the vegetables and chill. Then combine with dressing. Prepare beds of lettuce and top with salad.
ITALIAN DRESSING
(2 cups)
3/4 cup wine vinegar
2/3 cup red wine
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. capers
1/2 cup oil
1 tbsp. mustard seed
2 peppers - green or red
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. rosemary - dried
1 tsp. oregano - dried
Mix vinegar and wine, set for 1 hour. Finely chop garlic. Add salt, capers, mustard seed and pound to paste. Remove pepper insides and cut into slivers. Boil garlic paste, add peppers and spices, stirring. Remove from heat, add oil, cool.
ITALIAN CHEESE TOAST
(8 Slices)
1-1/4 cups half and half
1 tbsp. olive or salad oil
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. capers
1 12" loaf Italian bread
1 8 oz. package Mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
In 2-qt. saucepan, combine first 4 ingredients. Cook over medium heat, until boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Reduce heat, stir in capers, cover, keep warm.
Preheat broiler. From Italian bread, diagonally cut 8 one inch thick slices (save remaining bread).
Toast bread in broiler on each side. Put sliced cheese on each piece and broil until melted.
Spoon cream mixture over cheese. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
