Patate prezzemolate. When I heard that name of something that my youngest daughter (again! but she is the only one who still eats in school) had had for lunch, I couldn’t stop repeating it to myself, the rhythm and the rhyme of it made it feel like a mantra. It kept on echoing in my head and I felt I had to do something about it before it took over my whole being.
Patate prezzemolate patate prezzemolate patate prezzemolate – who can live with that going round in your head in a constant loop? So in order to exorcise (can you tell that I have been looking at a re-run of the
Omen films when I do my Teen Taxi duty on Saturday nights? I just can’t resist them even though they are soo bad) the two words, I decided to make my own interpretation of parsleyed potatoes as it would be called in English.
In order to make it a little bit more exciting than just potatoes and parsley, I decided to add some small black olives and to make a garlic infused oil. Contrary to what people generally think about Italian cuisine, garlic is used quite sparingly, especially compared to how it is used in Italian cooking by non-Italians. Here garlic is mostly used to flavour olive oil and you pick it up before you start cooking, the garlic press is a rare thing to find in an Italian kitchen for example. There are obviously dishes where you use it raw or in large amounts but they are relatively rare I find.
‘PARSLEYED’ POTATOES OR POTATO SALAD WITh PARSLEY, OLIVES AND GARLIC INFUSED OLIVE OIL
500 g/ 1,1 lb new potatoes (if possible)
a bunch of parsley, finely chopped
black olives, I used olives in olive oil. If the olives are big, chop them roughly
2 garlic cloves
salt
2 + 2-3 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Boil the potatoes without peeling them.
- Peel and slice the garlic cloves, put them in a small pan and add 2 tblsp of olive oil. Heat up gently, the garlic should not cook, just let go of its flavours so be careful. Leave to cool down and when cold, take out the garlic and mix with the rest of the olive oil.
- Cut the potatoes in pieces, I keep the skin if possible because I like it but you can remove it if you want, and put them in a bowl.
- Add parsley, salt and olives to the oil and mix it with the potatoes. Ready!
L
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Fabulous way to get it out of your head and onto my plate! That is a plate for me isn’t it? Just what I need today.
Parsley and potatoes are fine companions, especially with good olive oil!
In Rome, I loved to eat parslied potato salad with green haricots and carrots added, later in the summer fresh Cannelini beans. Flat Italian parsley stayed the most important ingredient, garlic mostly out, maybe a little rub of the salad bowl with a clove, that’s all.
I suppose you have seen the movie “Big Night” – about two Italian brothers trying to teach Americans to eat true Italian cuisine, here a two of my favorite scenes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URdCltP8rqA&feature=related
(hilarious the suggestion of meatballs sans spaghetti)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GFRixTtEcE&feature=fvst
(che festa!)
http://merisi.blogspot.com/
what a awesome photos! I love such simply meals!
Your daughter speaks perfect Italian, I suppose. Does she also speak Swedish and English? What a fantastic family you must have.
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I grew up eating potato salad that was made with a mint & cider vinegar dressing.
Ilva: I had forgotten you were in Tuscany!!! Dove??? I am living in Florence—we have been here since AUG and will be here through JUNE. LMK if you come to Firenze!!! Would love to share a bicchieri a vino (I really don’t know Italian, but my sons speak it well!).
These potatoes look fantastic—loved the garlic oil.
http://www.talkoftomatoes.com
You have convinced me to go buy a big bunch of parsley. The grocers gave me some but I don’t think I’ll have enough to make bulgur and the parsley potatoes with what they gave me for free.
‘The Omen’ brings back memories of my teenage years. lol
Looks perfect for spring with the fresh parsley in my garden. I think the French use more garlic – and I know the Spanish do, rubbing it raw on toast for Pa amb Tomate
This is hands down my most favourite recipe in your online collection! I have made often – summer and winter – and it has become part of my regular cycle of dishes that I start craving if it’s been too long since I’ve made it. I’ve made it without garlic (tried to create it from memory) and with. Today I added fresh lemon and a little rind. All excellent. I agree that fresh Italian flat parsley and black olives in oil are de rigueur for this delicious dish!