Greek Salad

The big Greek salad, also known as Greek salad or “Horiatiki,” is a fresh and colorful dish typical of Greece. I’ll suggest a traditional recipe, but with an Italian twist in the dressing.

Ingredients

• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red onion
• 1 green pepper
• Kalamata olives (a handful)
• 200 g of feta cheese
• Dried oregano
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Balsamic vinegar (this is the Italian touch; in the original Greek salad, red wine vinegar would be used)
• Capers (optional, for an Italian savory note)

Preparation

1. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into medium-sized pieces. If you prefer, you can remove the seeds to reduce the salad’s moisture.
2. Peel the cucumber and slice it into not-too-thin semi-circular pieces.
3. Thinly slice the red onion.
4. Cut the green pepper into strips after removing seeds and inner filaments.
5. Assemble the vegetables in a large bowl. Add Kalamata olives and capers if you’re using them.
6. Crumble the feta roughly and scatter it over the salad.
7. Season with dried oregano to taste.
8. Prepare a vinaigrette with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, and balsamic vinegar. Alternatively, you can use just oil and vinegar as in the more traditional version.
9. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to avoid breaking the feta too much.
10. Serve the Greek salad well chilled.

Trivia

The Greek salad reflects the colors of the Greek flag, with the white of the feta, the red of the tomatoes, and the green of the cucumber and pepper. In Greece, it is an essential summer dish served as an appetizer or side, often accompanied by pita bread to absorb the aromatic dressing.