Life-Changing Misticanza Salad

+ a fun collab post because everything is more enjoyable with friends!

Hi friends! We have a very special Substack today because this is a co-post from both Dini and Aliza-good friends who love food, a good vibe and healthy eats! Come follow our daily shenanegans on Instagram prepandrally and alizajsokolow

We recently went to Funke in Beverly Hills had their Misticanza salad which we couldn’t stop obsessing over. This is seemingly the simplest salad made up of beautiful farmer’s market seasonal lettuces, pops of herbs, the thinnest possibly sliced veg and a light lambrusco dressing all piled high to serve. There’s something so special about the simplicity of this salad, the combo of the vegetables and the punchiness of the dressing that inspired us to come home and recreate it to share with you all here.

Coincidentally I (Dini) am in Italy as we speak so I’m sending you a big virtual Roman hug with this salad recipe. I’ve been making it on repeat for shabbat meals and everyone asks “what is in that salad? It’s SO FRESH!”. It’s a must make.

So let’s get into it.

The delicate Misticanza salad & salad secrets

Misticanza salad is a traditional Roman mixed green salad made with wild greens, tender herbs, and crunchy vegetables. It is usually dressed simply with olive oil and lemon or vinegar, letting the produce do most of the talking. Think beautiful gems, chicories, radicchio, fennel, chiogga beats, cucumbers, bitter, bright, refreshing, and deeply seasonal and sliced so thinly you can see through it..

Whenever I (Aliza) go to one of Evan’s restaurants, I have to order the Misticanza salad. I can identify where almost every piece of produce is sourced, which might be my only real hat trick.

Beautiful lettuces, edible flowers, and Persian cucumbers from Carranza Ranch in Ventura. The thinnest slices of Chioggia radish and fennel. Parsley, chive, basil, mint. It is simple, but not basic. This salad is perfect.

Now what is the REAL secret to the perfect salad? It might seem crazy simple or straightforward but the answer is….

SALT!!!

Always season your salad with a little salt before adding the dressing and serving it. As we know, salt is magic. It brightens flavors, makes sweet things taste sweeter, and creates the kind of contrast that makes you want another bite before you have even finished the first one.

In this salad, the acid is perfect, and the greens are just lightly kissed with dressing. Nothing is heavy. Nothing is overdressed. Every leaf still tastes like itself, but brighter.

We can both consume a few giant troughs of this salad (and we DO!) and be very, very happy.

I hope these salad making tips are helpful and definitely try out our version of the recipe below. It is addicting-you’ve been warned!

Xx

Dini & Aliza

Dini and Aliza’s Misticanza Salad

Ingredients

For the salad

• 3 heads of lettuce, washed and dried thoroughly

• 1 beet

• 1 Persian cucumber

• 1 bulb fennel

Fine herbs

• Mint

• Chives

• Basil

• Dill

For the dressing

• 1/4c Extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4c Red wine vinegar

• Salt

• Freshly cracked black pepper

Method

Wash the lettuce thoroughly and dry it very well. This is important!! Wet lettuce will prevent the dressing from sticking to the leaves.

Using the thinnest setting on a mandoline, shave the cucumber, beet, and fennel as thinly as possible.

Pick the herb leaves and leave them whole. For the dill, pull apart the larger fronds so they are delicate but still visible throughout the salad.

Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Season with salt and toss gently with your hands.

Add the shaved cucumber, beet, fennel, and all of the herbs.

In a small bowl, emulsify equal parts red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the greens and toss gently until everything is lightly coated.

Serve immediately and cheers!