Italian Chopped Salad (inspired by Nancy Silverton’s Pizzeria Mozza recipe)

Prep: 30 min.                    Serves: 4 to 8

INGREDIENTS:

For The Vinaigrette

2 ½ Tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. dried oregano

Freshly squeezed juice from ½ lemon (1 Tbsp.), or more to taste

Zest from 1/2 lemon

2 medium cloves garlic, 1 smashed flat and 1 grated

½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1 ½ cups extra-virgin olive oil

For The Salad

¼+ small red onion, cut in half from top to bottom

1 head (22 ounces) iceberg lettuce

1 head (11 ounces) red lettuce or radicchio if not too bitter

1 pint small, sweet cherry tomatoes, such as Sun Golds or Sweet 100s, cut into quarters

Kosher salt

1 ½ cups no-salt-added chickpeas, drained

I pint container of mozzarella pearls, drained

½ cup black olives, sliced thinly

¼ pound shredded parmesan cheese

¼ pound Genoa salami, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices, then cut into ¼ -inch-wide strips

5 pepperoncini (stems discarded), cut into thin slices (about ¼ cup)

Freshly squeezed juice from ½ lemon (1 Tbsp.), or more to taste

Dried oregano (preferably Sicilian oregano on the branch), for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

For The Vinaigrette

Add together the vinegar, oregano, lemon zest & juice, the smashed garlic and grated garlic and the salt and pepper in a medium-large jar with a lid. Shake well to mix.  Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes (to marinate the oregano).  Add the oil and shake well to form an emulsified vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning and add salt or lemon juice as needed. The yield is a generous 1 1/2 cups; you'll use up to 1/2 cup for this salad, and the remainder can be refrigerated for another use (up to 3 days).

For The Salad

Separate the layers of the onion and stack two or three layers on top of one another, then cut them lengthwise into 1/16-inch-wide strips. Repeat with the remaining onion layers. Place the onion in a small bowl of ice water to sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Drain the onion and pat dry with paper towels before adding to the salad.

Cut the iceberg lettuce in half through the core. Remove and discard the outer leaves and discard the core. Separate the lettuce leaves, stack two or three leaves on top of one another, then cut them lengthwise into ¼ -inch-wide strips. Repeat with the remaining leaves; thinly slice the red lettuce/radicchio in the same way. Cut the tomatoes in half, season them with salt to taste, and toss gently.

Combine the lettuce, red lettuce/radicchio, tomatoes, chickpeas, mozzarella, olives, salami, pepperoncini, and onion in a large, wide bowl. Season with salt to taste and toss to thoroughly combine. Drizzle 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette over the salad, then sprinkle with the lemon juice; toss gently to coat the salad evenly. Taste, and add the remaining portion of the 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette, plus salt and/or lemon juice as needed.

Transfer the salad to a large platter or divide it among individual plates, piling it like a mountain. Sprinkle the dried oregano leaves on top and serve.