Misticanza is the generic term for a mixture of wild greens. Produce stalls in Rome sell it from bins to be prepared all’agro (blanched, then dressed with a squeeze of lemon, ripassata in padella (sautéed with oil, garlic, and chile), or as a raw salad. Whether you can pull off a salad is up to the season. For example, when this mix of field greens features prickly nettles, you’ve got to cook them, but in nettle-free mixes, you might find a huge array of ready-to-eat wild weeds. The best version of this salad is at Piatto Romano in Testaccio, where owner Andrea D’Alfonsi sources his foraged mixture of more than a dozen greens from Lazio and Abruzzo. The sauce is similar to the dressing for Puntarelle alla Romana, and the whole mess is dusted with punchy dried sumac from Emporio delle Spezie, a spice shop nearby. Sumac grows wild all over Italy, yet this is the only (Italian) place in the whole country that I recall seeing it used for seasoning!

7 ingredients

Prep: 10 mins

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Insalata di Misticanza con Salsa di Alici e Sommacco

WILD GREENS
SALAD WITH
ANCHOVY SAUCE
AND SUMAC
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Ingredients (7)

Instructions

  1. Combine the anchovies (3 fillets), vinegar (1 Tbsp), salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

  2. Set aside to marinate for 5 to 10 minutes.

  3. Slowly whisk in the olive oil (2 Tbsp).

  4. Place the greens (½ lb) in a large bowl and toss with the anchovy dressing.

  5. Serve immediately dusted with sumac (2 tsp).