Caprese Potato Salad With Spinach Pesto

If you love a good potato salad but you aren’t into those heavy mayo type sauces, or you simply look for something healthier, this one’s for you. Fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, a few gently simmered potatoes and a splash of quality extra virgin olive oil can be a good start for a tasty binding sauce. Don’t forget to squeeze a lemon and add a bit of spinach blended into the pesto. Now we are ready to start…

Preparing the salad ingredients

Peel the potatoes and place them in a small pot. Add just enough water to cover them. Peel the garlic cloves and add them to the pot as well. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft. Drain the potatoes and the garlic, reserving the cooking water. Let them cool on a plate.

In a separete pot, bring about one liter of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Wash the spinach and add it to the boiling water. Lower the heat and cook for 3-5 minutes. Drain and let the spinach cool on a plate for about 10 minutes. Chop it briefly with a chef’s knife for texture - no need to blend it.

Make the pesto

In a blender combine :

Fresh basil
Pine nuts
Simmered garlic cloves
Parmesan cheese
2-3 pieces of simmered potatoes
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
100 ml of the reserved potato water
A pinch of of salt
Optional: a tablespoon of the chopped spinach

Blend at medium speed about one minute until smooth and creamy.

Assemble the salad

Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and put them in a large bowl.
Add the chopped spinach to pesto sauce. Gently mix until the potatoes are evenly coated.
Use a large spoon to transfer the potatoes to the serving plates.
Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the mozzarella ball.Arrange them over the potatoes.

• Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a few drops of balsamic vinegar.

INGREDIENTS - for two portions

Organic or “Best you can get” !