Nonna's Potato Salad

I suppose there are as many variations of Potato Salad as there are days in the year if not more.

Simplicity preserves the integrity of each ingredient in this Potato Salad and is prepared the way it has been for generations. You won’t find any  mayonnaise, sour cream or other disguised ingredients since they just don’t have a place in this recipe.  It has accompanied us on many picnics over the years and served as a delicious side dish to many barbeque dinners.

It’s interesting to note that some recipes passed down from generation to generation are quite simple and only require minimal and simple dressings.

It was not so long ago that olive oil was enjoyed from family olive groves, vinegar from a batch of homemade wine whose vintage didn’t quite make the grade and fresh herbs that flourished instead of flower gardens. In past generations, these were staple ingredients of an Italian household, simple and easily available but sufficient to richly enhance the flavours of many home cooked dishes.

It’s not hard to understand why a back yard garden is so important for many Italians of my parent’s generation, instilled into my generation and I sense a drizzle of olive oil flowing through the veins of my children as they carry on the tradition.

I'm an avid watcher of  the cooking channel and often glean a few good tips and recipes from watching but sometimes the preparation of some dishes seem overly complicated.  The availability of ingredients from so many different cultures makes it possible to experiment and always come up with something new. 

The question remains, will it endure the test of time as so many old time recipes have?

Nonna’s Potato Salad

potatoes
cucumber
tomatoes
red onion or any other sweet mild onion
olive oil
oregano
salt

1. Cut potatoes into desired size and boil in salted water until tender but still have a bite to them. Cool completely.
2. Cut cucumber and tomatoes into approximate size of potatoes.
3. Thinly slice onions.
4. Combine all ingredients and season with olive oil, oregano and salt. Serve.

Notes Tips and Suggestions

• Yukon Gold potatoes work well in this recipe; if not available the Russet Variety is also a good choice.
• Chives make a good alternative to onions.
• Potatoes can be cooked earlier in the day and left at room temperature then add remaining ingredients before serving.
• Refrigerate leftovers.