Lindsay Marie Morris

My Sicilian mother always says that a meal isn't complete without a side salad. Her green bean, tomato, and potato salad remains one of my favorites. The recipe was inspired by my nonna's own insalata vastasa. 

In true Sicilian tradition, you worked with what you had; if you didn't have potatoes, you could still enjoy a green bean and tomato salad. Sometimes, we'd have it with just potatoes and beans. 

The recipe was so popular at family gatherings that I included a mention of it in my first novel. 

I was delighted to find a similar insalata vastasa recipe on A Quaint Life, a blog run by Roxanna Shadd. Roxanna and I recently chatted about her version of this classic Sicilian salad. She shared the right way to cook green beans and potatoes, her preferred potatoes, and what she hopes readers will take away from this recipe.

Tell us about your background.

I am not Italian; I am more of an Italiophile. Their lifestyle, food, and culture speak to me. Ethnically, I have a mixed background of Puerto Rican, Mexican, and caucasian descent. All of which have influenced me in different ways. But it was my travels to Italy some years back that woke something up in me. The slower-paced lifestyle and love for simplicity and food felt sacred in its own way. I brought back that feeling and decided to embrace it in my home, my work, and my lifestyle as much as a born-and-raised Californian can.

I am a full-time blogger and YouTuber who shares a simple life, is approachable in cooking from scratch, and loves homemaking. Life is beautiful; every day, there is an opportunity to engage with it. I want to share ways to fall in love with life, food, and the beauty of creating a home that feeds the soul.

How did you discover this recipe?

I like to cook authentically because, frankly, I want the real thing. Not the American made-up versions. So, I scour the internet for those wonderful nonnas who share what they are making and the history behind it. Once I feel inspired by something, I write my own version of it, making sure to include the traditional ingredients and not take away from its authenticity. This one I came across after trying to find a non-American mayo-based potato salad and found one that used only potatoes,  green beans, and olive oil, which caught my eye.

What makes this recipe Sicilian?

This is insalata vistasa, or an "eye-catching" salad, and that it very much is. It is a classic Sicilian potato salad that is made all over Sicily. I have seen slight differences in other recipes. Some call for anchovies, while others serve quite a plain version of potatoes, green beans, and olive oil. 

You recommend Yukon Gold potatoes. Why?

They have a nice creamy texture that works well with being dressed in olive oil. As a bonus, the peels are fine to keep on if you don't feel like peeling the potatoes. 

How do you ensure the potatoes and green beans are cooked perfectly for this salad?

Well, using potatoes that are about the same size helps for an even cooking time. You want to cook them until they are just done, not until falling apart. The green beans turn bright green and are ready fast, so I put them in to blanch last at the tail end of cooking the potatoes and make sure I don't walk away. Otherwise, they can overcook and lose the crisp texture that is so good in this salad.

What Sicilian meals would you pair with this salad?

This salad is so versatile that you could pair it with just about anything. A crisp, pounded-out chicken cutlet or a Sicilian salt-baked whole fish would work wonderfully. 

How and when do you typically serve it?

I like serving it at room temperature. Allowing it to sit a little after making it allows the flavors to develop. It is a great recipe whenever I am asked to bring a dish to a luncheon. 

What do you hope at-home cooks will take away from this recipe?

This recipe perfectly represents my food philosophy. Good cooking is about fresh, quality ingredients put together in a simple manner. They make the very best dishes. I think we need to remove the home cook's misperception that cooking from scratch is difficult or complicated. 

>>Get Roxanna's recipe here!<<

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Just about every weekend of my childhood, my family would drive from our home in Racine, Wisconsin, to Milwaukee, where we'd visit with relatives and enjoy classic Sicilian suppers. My Nonna had a pantry full of ingredients from Italian grocer Glorioso's.

One of these staples was chickpea flour, farina di ceci, which is made by crushing dried garbanzo beans.

Using this versatile, gluten-free, and protein-packed flour, she'd often make panelle, chickpea flour cutlets that she'd serve between freshly baked Sicilian bread. 

I was delighted to discover a panelle recipe just like my Nonna's on Ada Parisi's Siciliani Creativi in Cucina. We recently discussed all things chickpea flour, a superfood you can now find at most supermarkets. Ada, who currently calls Rome home, was born in Messina, Sicily, and aims to make Sicilian cuisine better known through her recipes.

How is chickpea flour made?

Chickpea flour is simply obtained by crushing dehulled chickpeas: the chickpeas are ground until they become an impalpable powder that is slightly yellow-colored. It is also possible to prepare it at home using common dried chickpeas. Just wash them, toast them in the oven at 150 degrees for about 20 minutes, and then blend everything in a food processor until you obtain flour.

What are some uses for chickpea flour?

Chickpeas are a food widely used in traditional recipes from various Italian regions. For this reason, but also for cultural reasons (they're an ingredient that ancient farmers always had in their pantries, cheap and nutritious), chickpeas and chickpea flour are so used in Italy.

How does its use vary by region?

Among the main Italian recipes with chickpea flour is farinata, a type of low focaccia made with chickpea flour, extra virgin olive oil, and aromatic herbs such as rosemary. Widespread in various regions (Liguria, Tuscany, and Sardinia), it is also called fainá or cecina. In Sicily, chickpea flour is used to make panelle, fritters with chickpea flour, pepper, and parsley, to be eaten inside a sandwich (the famous pane e panelle). It is also possible to prepare vegan omelets with chickpea flour and vegetables. But also highly protein legume gnocchi by adding flour, eggs, and grated cheese. With chickpea flour, you can also make desserts: in Sicily, cassatelle di agira is a famous, sweet raviolo that contains chocolate and chickpea flour inside.

Why is chickpea flour so widely used in Italy?

It is a legacy of Italian peasant culture. Chickpeas are a very traditional and widespread crop in different regions, especially in central and southern Italy. Furthermore, in addition to being an ingredient in various typical recipes, today, they meet the needs of those who are intolerant to gluten or celiac disease.

What are the health benefits of chickpea flour?

Chickpea flour, like chickpeas, is rich in vegetable proteins with medium biological value. It contains little fat and a lot of fiber, as well as a good amount of vitamins B1, A, and E, in addition to mineral salts such as phosphorus and potassium. It is gluten-free and has a low glycemic index; therefore, it is suitable for celiac diets and recommended in the diet for diabetics.

What do you hope at-home cooks will take away from your recipes?

I hope that those who read my recipes will share and make their own idea of a seasonal diet linked to the territory and small productions. The valorization of Italian agricultural and agri-food products in every kitchen is the key to eating healthily (as the Mediterranean Diet says) and helping the agricultural supply chain increase income with what it produces.

>>Get Ada's panelle recipe here<<

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