Campisi Style Salad with dressing.
Campisi’s is an Italian restaurant in Dallas which, for reasons explained below, my family always assumed was Egyptian. Alex of The Defined Dish claims she’s copied the recipe for their house salad dressing which, though we don’t have the original product to compare, is an interesting take on a traditional vinaigrette. Don’t be concerned by the lopsided vinegar/oil ratio; it somehow works in the finished salad. Makes ¾ c, enough for one large family salad to be shared by 4-6.
Ingredients:
1/3 c white vinegar
3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T pepperoncini brine*
1 T olive brine*
1 garlic clove, minced
½ t white sugar
½ t kosher salt
½ t ground black pepper
Method: combine all ingredients and whisk to emulsify. Dress lettuce leaves (she uses iceberg) and toss with some chopped green olives, sliced green onions, and lots more of the parm. Serve immediately. Note: this dressing will not keep overnight because the parm clumps in the vinegar when chilled.
Have you tried this parm from Trader Joe? Really good and funky.
*These definitions are obviously subjective and depend on the pepperoncinis and olives you are using but assume the pepperoncini brine is vinegar with a bit of heat and the olive brine is vinegar with a herbaceous element.
The Campisi backstory: my family avoided this nearby place because they thought it actually was Egyptian and they didn’t like exotic cuisines. In fact Papa Campisi purchased an existing place called the Egyptian Lounge and for whatever reason kept half the sign and added his own name. They claim to have introduced pizza to Dallas in 1946. Jack Ruby, killer of Lee Harvey Oswald, was a regular and dined there the night before Oswald assassinated JFK. The Campisis later visited him in jail.
