Italian Salsa Verde, a tangy green Italian condiment
The Italian Salsa Verde is a sharp, piquant, salty and herby green sauce that will electrify your senses and leave them hysterical in anticipation of the next mouthful!
Rinse the capers and place them in a small bowl of room temperature water to soak while you get the other ingredients ready.
Do the same with the anchovies if they are salted, if in oil, just pat them dry with a kitchen paper.
Tear the bread up, place in a small saucer, and pour the vinegar over, squashing down the bread to soak the vinegar up.
By hand
Using a mezzaluna or a large, sharp knife, chop up the parsley until fine, place in a medium sized bowl.
Mash the egg yolk up, if using, and add to the parsley.
Smash the garlic up with the side of a knife, and chop up finely, or just mince it with a garlic crusher, which I do. Add to the bowl with parsley.
Rinse the capers again, and chop up with the mezzaluna or knife, fairly finely. Add to the bowl.
Mash the anchovies up with a fork. Add to the bowl.
Mash the bread up with a fork, and add the whole lot to the bowl, including any drips of vinegar.
Now, add half the olive oil, and mix it all up thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Keep adding the olive oil until you are happy with the consistency of your salsa verde. I like mine fairly thick and sloppy. It does depend on what you want to use it for as well. Make it on the dry side if it's going to be a spread or topping.
In a chopper
Place all the ingredients (start with half the olive oil) in a chopper and blitz to the desired consistency.
Store in a sterilised container for a week. Bring to room temperature and stir well before serving.