The late Marcella Hazan said it takes four people to make a salad: someone wise to season with salt, generous with the olive oil, stingy with the vinegar, and patient to toss it all together. That, along with quality ingredients – sea salt, extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar – is the recipe for a true Italian dressing. To make an insalata mista, or mixed salad, combine washed and dried greens plus any vegetables – thinly sliced onions, celery, peppers, fennel, cucumbers. Then add salt, then olive oil, then vinegar, and toss until every leaf is coated.

The same treatment is applied to this fresh carrot salad. It goes together quickly and is crunchy, sweet and so satisfying. If you are making a large quantity, use the grating blade on a food processor. Multicolored carrots? Even better. Serves 4.

Place shredded carrots in a bowl. Add parsley if you want. Add salt, olive oil and vinegar and mix well. Taste to adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.