Name: Romanian Oriental Potato Salad... or Salata Orientala
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 4-5 baking potatoes (boiled till fork tender); 1/2 of a large red onion (sliced); 4-5 4-5 hard boiled eggs (sliced, or to taste); 1/2 - 3/4 Cup whole olives (or to taste); 4-6 Tbsp olive oil (or to taste); 4-6 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (or to taste); salt and pepper (to taste)

Romanian Oriental Potato Salad... or Salata Orientala

It's an easy salad to make....well, as long as the potatoes and eggs are cooked correctly 🙂
There's something special about a dish that uses just a few simple ingredients.... and ends up tasting incredible. The flavors of the briny olives, with the onions and eggs make for a different sort of potato salad...a potato salad that's packed with a ton of flavor. And even though we might normally associate a potato salad with mayonnaise... the oil and vinegar dressing is all the salad needs.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Course Salad

Cuisine romanian

Ingredients

4-5 baking potatoes

boiled till fork tender
1/2 of a large red onion

sliced
4-5 4-5 hard boiled eggs

sliced, or to taste
1/2 - 3/4 Cup whole olives

or to taste
4-6 Tbsp olive oil

or to taste
4-6 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender, but not falling apart....(about 12-15 minutes or so depending on the size of potatoes). While the potatoes are cooking, cook the eggs until hard
Peel and slice the potatoes while still warm and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle a bit of oil over them( 1 -2 TBS) and toss gently
Slice onion thinly and run hot water over the onion... this is optional, but this step takes the "bite" out of the onions.... add the sliced onion to the potatoes.
Add the olives and toss gently to combine.
Peel and slice the eggs, and add to the potato salad... you can reserve a few slices for garnish if you like.
Mix oil and vinegar( use the lesser amount, as you can always add more oil or vinegar at the end) and pour over the potato mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Mix everything gently... trying to keep the potatoes intact as much as possible....the potatoes and eggs will still crumble, but you just don't want a mushy salad.
Adjust seasoning... add more vinegar or oil as needed. You want the salad to have some moistness... I find the salad takes in more vinegar than other salads. The salad should have a tinge of tartness. As the salad sits a bit, the potatoes will absorb quite a bit of the dressing.
Garnish with extra egg slices/ olives.... and serve warm...or cold
You also can add fresh parsley as a design. ENJOY !

Notes

Feel free to adjust vinegar and oil amounts to preference....you may need to add more or less. The amount also depends on how many potatoes are used....and russet potatoes, in general, tend to absorb more liquid.

~You can opt to use a rice vinegar, which is milder in taste.

~I love the salad the following day...the flavors intensify.

Keyword Potato salad