Fennel Tomato Salad With Colatura Di Alici & Capers

A shaved fennel tomato salad with colatura di alici and salted capers, topped with crispy panko breadcrumbs. It's light and refreshing but with a salty hit that works in hot weather. It's also extremely quick to assemble and serve, so basically, the perfect summer tomato salad!

Ingredient notes

You may need to visit an authentic Italian deli to make this dish, but it is worth the trip. Colatura di alici is an Italian fish sauce made from salt and anchovies. As the anchovies ferment in salt within chestnut barrels, they release an amber liquid. I love adding it to salad dressings as it really lifts all the flavors and adds a punch of umami.

I'm also using another Italian specialty in this salad,  capperi al sale. These Sicilian capers preserved in sea salt are the best there is, and they work perfectly in this dish. If you can't get hold of them, you can use ordinary capers.

Needless to say, we don't need to add any further salt to this tomato salad! But salt with ripe tomatoes is a match made in heaven.

Instructions

Put the panko breadcrumbs into a dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Crack over some black pepper, and add a little bit of garlic powder. Toss every once in a while and turn the pan off when you can see a lot of golden brown. They turn fast, so don't leave them unattended. Always, always, season panko breadcrumbs, or they just taste bland. Normally, I'd add salt to these breadcrumbs, but not today, as we have a lot of salt in the Coluatura di alici and the capperi al sale.

Use a mandolin to slice your fennel and shallot. I like to shave them on the smallest setting so they are paper-thin, almost like ribbons, but you can make them thicker if you prefer. Watch your thumb on the mandolin! Use the mandolin guard.

I like to use a mixture of cherry tomatoes and larger varieties, and then I cut them in different ways to give more visual interest on the plate.

Arrange the shaved fennel and shallot on top of the tomatoes, and then scatter the capers over them. Drizzle with the colatura di alici, and then add a glug of extra-virgin olive oil. Finally, add the toasted panko and garnish with fresh basil.

How to serve

I love pairing this salad with a main course like whole baked sea bream.

Try adding other vegetables like some shaved baby courgettes or a few black olives. Instead of panko, serve it with some chunky ciabatta croutons to give more of a Panzanella feel to it.

If you want to add more protein to the salad itself, try this with some flaked tuna. Either from a can, or buy a tuna steak, drizzle with oil and sear it in a hot pan before squeezing over some lemon and tearing it apart.

Wine Pairing

The colatura di alici is full of umami and saltiness, so you need something acidic to balance that. Serve a crisp Northern Italian white wine, like a Vermentino.

What if I have leftovers?

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, but the panko will go soggy, so attempt to eat all of this bit if you can and then make some more when finishing it up!

Can I freeze it?

Nope.

Equipment

A mandolin will help you shave fennel into really thin and even slices, but you can also just use a sharp kitchen knife.