Insalata di rucola con pera e prosciutto ~ A wonderfully light salad that melds the tastes of pear, arugula, fennel, and prosciutto together in perfect unison.

With all the heavy eating I’ve been doing lately, it’s time to lighten it up a bit. My birthday wasn’t too long ago and I celebrated my day with several of my friends who happened to have birthdays either the week before or after mine.

It was a great night, I was surrounded by friends and family. We had a homemade Italian dinner, which was the favorite of all the birthday people!

I was in charge of the salad and garlic bread portion of the meal. I will make my bread for the blog someday…it’s wonderful and so not healthy. Nobody eats garlic bread to be healthy…

But I knew the entire meal was going to be heavy so I felt I should lighten things up a bit with a salad. I’m not entirely certain how authentically Italian this salad is, but I gave it a fancy Italian name anyway.

The Insalata di rucola con pera e prosciutto was such a hit that I have had to make it again. It is light, but refreshing with the fresh fruit. The dressing is not heavy, giving it just the right coating and texture.

The addition of Romano cheese and prosciutto is just to be fancy! The fennel, while strong all on its own, is perfectly balanced with the arugula and the pear.

I was really glad I made this as my contribution to the night because it helped balance out the heaviness of all the other Italian dishes.

Easy Gourmet Appetizers

Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Dip

Prosciutto Wrapped Parmesan, Pears, and Greens

Olive, Chorizo, and Red Pepper Pinwheels

Tuna Rillettes in Endive

Pineapple Sorbet

Insalata di rucola con pera e prosciutto A wonderfully light salad that melds the tastes of pear, arugula, fennel, and prosciutto together in perfect unison. Print Ingredients 1 pkg. arugula (4-6 cups)

1 small fennel bulb; thinly sliced

1-2 ripe red pears , but not too ripe, slightly firm

1/4 cup fresh parsley; chopped

2-4 oz shaved Romano cheese

2-3 oz prosciutto; diced Dressing 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp shallot; finely diced

1/8 tsp fresh garlic; finely minced

Salt/pepper to taste Instructions Prep all ingredients. Wash and dry greens. Add greens, fennel, pear, and parsley to a bowl and lightly toss. Add cheese and prosciutto to bowl. Toss and set aside. Dressing Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk briskly to emulsify the dressing. Pour a small bit over the salad and toss. Continue to add dressing until salad has reached the desired coating. Serve immediately.

Thank you for sharing!