Recipe ~ Insalata d’Orto Fabiani – A Caprese Like No Other

 Buongiorno Loves, after quite some time !

At the moment I am in a season that I call, A Blessed Recovery.

That is, I had some minor surgery a couple of weeks ago, to remedy a medical condition that is now passing. I have no pain nor discomfort, but I do have everything I need to rest well and recover, including extraordinary care here at home and love pouring in from all over the globe. I am one happy girl.

This last weekend I was delighted beyond measure – and had enough energy! -  to spend time with my dear friends Edith and Lucilio, who own the home in Cagli, where Lisa and I lived when we first came to Italy last year. They are my first family in Italy, and I love them so very much.

On Sunday, we had lunch in the center of Gubbio. Ristorante Conte Fabiani is one of my favorite elegant haunts for lunch, and they had never been. It was my pure privilege to introduce them to Fabiani’s wonderful food and atmosphere.

For our first course, Edith and I both ordered their own unique Caprese garden salad. It was a gorgeous, generous plate of all of the ingredients listed in my recipe. We were offered a fancy decanter of fine olive oil and a coarse salt grinder, as dressing. So Italian, so perfect.

We each cleaned our plates, and then we both enjoyed exquisite handmade pasta Cacio e Pepe (cheese and pepper), with truffle shavings. Our elegant pasta bowls were presented with a swoosh of edible gold! I regret that I don’t have a foto but my phone wasn’t nearby, and I really loved just staying present for every precious moment of our meal together.

At the end, however, our kind (and very handsome!) server took a foto of us three, with complimentary limoncello. Again, so Italian. So perfect.

See what I mean? I don’t know if recovery gets any more blessed than this.

Insalata Caprese di Fabiani, for 2

Panko or other coarse breadcrumbs, about 1/2 cup

Extra-virgin olive oil

In skillet over medium flame, toast breadcrumbs until lightly browned. Set aside to cool while preparing salad.

Use your own preferred portions of the following. Use my design as guide to style plates.

Cucumber, peeled if desired, cubed or sliced

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Carrot, shredded

Red onion slices or pickled, if you have handy

Olives

Fresh burrata or buffalo mozzarella, cut in cubes

Caper berries (optional; I didn’t have these for my home salad)

Bitter microgreens (same; I didn’t have; I used shredded radicchio instead)

Fine olive oil

Fine sea salt

To prepare salad, spread toasted breadcrumbs on two serving dishes. Top with artfully-placed salad ingredients. To serve, drizzle with olive oil as desired, and sprinkle with salt.

Buon appetito!