The salads of spring don’t need a lot more than beautiful lettuces and colorful toppings, such as red peppers, carrots and tomatoes, if you’re lucky enough to find some with flavor. But to me, the dressing is still the most important part of a salad.
Since Pisa Pizza closed, I’ve been longing for its balsamic vinaigrette. I used to pick up a large container of it every now and then to take home, and it would last for quite a while. It was the best balsamic in town — thick enough to stick to the lettuce and really tangy.
I’ve been at a loss for a similar recipe. Fortunately, Scott Courter, who owned the pizzeria, was gracious enough to send me the recipe. I am printing it as I received it, along with a couple of my notes for measurements.
Be forewarned: This makes a lot of dressing, but it will last in the refrigerator for quite some time. Or you can put some in a bottle and give it to a friend. Those in my family who have tried it thoroughly enjoyed it.
As a side note, I’ve been doing a lot of shopping at Aldi lately, primarily in the produce department where I can always find really big avocados for 89 cents each, as well as a beautiful container of lettuces for $1.98. They’re the best prices I’ve found in town, and the quality is wonderful.