Family Italian Salad

Family Italian Salad   
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This salad is a family staple.  Our Italian neighbor taught it to my mother.  The secret is to rub the entire salad bowl with a garlic paste, let it chill and toss with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and red wine vinegar.  Washing and chilling the greens before hand enhances the flavors.

Romaine or head lettuce or a mixture of both, rinsed, spun and chilled

1 small clove garlic, sliced very thin

1-2 T. Olive Oil for the paste

coarse salt

red or green pepper, sliced thinly

red onion, sliced thinly and halved or quartered

black olives, sliced

tomatoes, cut in wedges and then halved again

mozzarella cheese, cut in small bite sized pieces
dried oregano

1.   Place the thin slices of the fresh garlic in the bottom of a wooden salad bowl.  Add 1 T. Olive Oil and  1 t. of coarse salt.
   
2.  With the back of a wooden spoon or a large serving spoon, mash the garlic with the oil and salt. 
   
3. Rub this paste mixture over the entire surface of the wooden bowl.  You may have to add more oil if it is too dry.  Scrape the excess out and discard.  You do want to see bits of garlic sticking to the sides.
   
4. Gently tear greens to bite size and place greens in the bowl.  I use one large handful per person.
5. Add the pepper, onion, tomato and mozzarella cheese.
6. Sprinkle with 1-2 t. oregano.
7. Get 2 paper towels wet with cold water, ring them out and place them on top of the greens to help chilling.
8. Place in the refrigerator and chill at least one hour or up to 3 hours.
9. To serve, sprinkle lightly with olive oil and toss just to coat.  
10. Very lightly sprinkle with vinegar and toss again.