1largehead of romaine lettucecut in small bite-sized pieces
4ouncessalamichopped in ¼-inch dice
4 ouncesfresh pecorino cheese (not aged)chopped in ¼-inch dice
½cupcooked chickpeasSee notes
½cuproasted red pepperschopped in ¼-inch dice
¼cuppeppadew pepperschopped small
¼cupred onionchopped in ¼-inch dice
1mediumtomatochopped in ¼-inch dice
For the Dijon Vinaigrette
1cupolive oil
¼cupred wine vinegar
2teaspoonsDijon mustard
½teaspoongranulated garlic
Salt and pepperto taste
Instructions
After everything is diced, mix in a large bowl.
Mix all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a jar and shake till well combined.
Pour about ½ cup of vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and stir to mix well. Taste, and only add more vinaigrette as needed.
Serve immediately.
Notes
I like to use romaine lettuce because of the way it holds up to the other ingredients and the vinaigrette, but green leaf lettuce is a good choice, too.
You can make substitutions if you want … pepperoni instead of salami, mozzarella instead of pecorino, fresh red peppers instead of roasted, pepperoncinis instead of peppadews, etc … and it will still be delicious. It just won't be THIS salad.
Peppadews are small red peppers that are slightly sweet and slightly spicy. Pepperoncinis are not at all slightly sweet and sometimes too spicy.
I don't mind having some of the vinaigrette kept over in the fridge because I use it so often on most salads. However, feel free to scale the recipe down if you prefer.
To cook dried chickpeas, soak ⅓ cup for 8-12 hours, then bring them to a low boil in a large pot. Simmer for 1-2 hours on the stove (depending on how soft you want them). A slow cooker can also be used: set on High for 4 hours, or on Low for 8-9. Another alternative is using the Instant Pot. Set it on manual for 12 minutes.
Keyword italian chopped salad, italian deli salad, salad