The Best Italian Winter Salads Have A Surprising Thing In Common

PUMPKIN, BROCCOLI, BACON AND GOAT CHEESE (Serves four)

400 g (14 oz) fresh pumpkin 400 g (14 oz) broccoli
1 tsp dried thyme
8 slices bacon
300 g (10.5 oz) fresh goat cheese
2 cloves garlic
juice of a half a lemon
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Trim the broccoli and cut into florets; boil in plenty of light salted water. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Thinly slice the pumpkin and place on the baking sheet with the garlic and thyme. Drizzle some olive oil over the top, season with salt and pepper, and toss the pumpkin with your hands to coat. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350°F, stirring when halfway done. In a skillet, cook the bacon on both sides. In a small bowl, whisk 5 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Arrange the warm vegetables on individual plates. Chop the bacon and place on top, and add dollops of the goat cheese. Dress with the balsamic emulsion.

BAKED CAPONATA (Serves four)

Trim the vegetables. Cut the zucchini, eggplant and celery into chunks, and slice the onion and peppers. Rub a baking pan with the garlic, and place the whole cherry tomatoes and vegetables in it. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar, sugar and oregano. Pour the emulsion over the vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper, and bake in a hot oven at 390°F until golden, stirring every so often. Just before turning the oven off, add the olives and the chopped parsley and basil.

BEETS, POTATOES, HARD- BOILED EGGS AND ANCHOVIES (Serves four)

Boil the whole potatoes until done; drain and set aside to cool. Slice the beets into thin rounds. Slice the hard-boiled eggs into rounds and set aside. In a bowl, whisk the oil with the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Peel the potatoes,
slice them and arrange them on a serving platter. Cut the anchovies into pieces and place on the potatoes. Add the beets and eggs, and dress with the mustard emulsion. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs and add more pepper if desired.

FENNEL, ORANGE AND PUMPKIN SEEDS (Serves four)

Trim the fennel, removing the hard external parts. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Thinly slice the fennel bulbs and place on the sheet. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill for 15–20 minutes on both sides. Peel the oranges, remove the filaments and the white part, and slice into rounds. Roast the pumpkin seeds in a pan for about 2 minutes, making sure they don’t burn. In a small bowl, whisk 4 tablespoons of olive oil with the honey, vinegar, thyme, and salt and pepper. Arrange the fennel and oranges on the serving platter. Add the pumpkin seeds and dress with the honey emulsion.