Kale Salad with Ricotta Salata, Pine Nuts, and Anchovies

The trick to Nancy Silverton’s kale salad is layering the ingredients, so there’s something delicious in every bite.

Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: 6

• A bold, lemony vinaigrette creates a tangy, savory base that coats the torn kale leaves.
• Two tiers of dressed kale are layered with toasted pine nuts, grated ricotta salata, and marinated white anchovies to ensure every bite has a balance of all the components.
• Pine nuts contribute crunch, while ricotta salata cheese adds salty creaminess and marinated white anchovies bring a rich, umami-packed depth.

With its toasty pine nuts, elegant vinaigrette, bright marinated anchovies, and generous amount of savory ricotta salata, Nancy Silverton’s clever assemblage of Italian flavors makes for a compelling salad that’s consistently delicious bite after bite. She stirs a portion of the cheese right into the dressing as well as scattering it over the layers of kale, further guaranteeing its even distribution throughout.

What makes Tuscan kale special?

Tuscan kale, aka lacinato kale, dinosaur kale, or cavolo nero, is a particularly good option for raw applications like this salad because its bumpy, dark blue-green leaves are more tender than other varieties. Plus, its earthy flavor is on the milder, sweeter side of the kale spectrum.

What's the difference between brown and white anchovies?

Brown and white anchovies are both from the same fish — the color difference is a reflection of how they've been processed. While brown anchovies are filleted and fully cured in salt, white anchovies are uncured, so they retain their natural color. After they've been filleted, white anchovies may or may not be lightly salted before they're submerged in a vinegar-based marinade. Compared to brown anchovies, white anchovies are sweet and mild.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

• Keep a close eye on the pine nuts as you're toasting them in the skillet — because they're so small, they can quickly go from perfectly golden to burnt. It's important to gauge their doneness according to smell and appearance rather than time.
• Italian white anchovies can be purchased from specialty food shops, or you can marinate your own fresh anchovies at home.
• When dressing the kale, Silverton instructs to start with just half of the vinaigrette, adding more as desired. If you have some left over, you can either serve it on the side in case guests would like extra, or pop it in the fridge for another use.

Suggested pairing

Lively, citrusy northern Italian Pinot Grigio.

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Ingredients

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This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

• 1/4 cup pine nuts

• 1 small shallot, minced

• Finely grated zest from 1 lemon

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon Champagne or white wine vinegar

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• Pinch of crushed red pepper

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 ounces ricotta salata cheese, coarsely grated (3/4 cup), divided

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 bunch kale, preferably Tuscan (6 ounces), stemmed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces (8 cups)

• 8 marinated alici (white anchovies), drained

Directions

1. In a small skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the shallot, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of the ricotta salata and season with salt and pepper.

3. In a large bowl, toss the kale with half of the vinaigrette; add more vinaigrette if desired. Transfer half of the kale to a serving platter and scatter with 2 tablespoons of the remaining ricotta salata. Top with 4 anchovies and half of the toasted pine nuts. Repeat with the remaining kale, ricotta salata, anchovies, and pine nuts and serve.

Originally appeared: July 2013