I love reading new recipes, but new Italian recipes really capture my interest. I have to do a lot of research for my event business in Florida. When you have clients that have been with you for more than 20 years, if you are going to keep them, coming up with fresh ideas is key.

While doing research for an event I have Nov. 2, I started to salivate after reading a couple of new Italian salad offerings. This is a double pleasure for me because I eat a lot of salads. I need to offset the heavy pasta dishes that are my passion. When I go out to a really good Tuscan Bistro, pasta is often my choice and of course, it's loaded with carbs.

In our family when I was growing up, we had a salad at every meal; I mean every meal. We frequently did not have dessert but always had a salad and it was usually curly endive, escarole, arugula and/or romaine combined with tomatoes, celery, carrots, radishes and cucumbers (all fresh from our garden) tossed in an olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. If we were out of one or more of the complimentary items, no matter but it was pretty consistently the same combination of vegetables; and it was always served after the main course.

These days, I often have a salad as a main course or as my only course, if I am on a real health kick and watching my weight, which is often.

The two recipes I am featuring this month could be served as an appetizer, entre or simply after the main entree as a salad course.

If serving the Caesar salad as an entre you may want to combine it with some grilled lemon chicken or grilled herbed shrimp for protein.

Either way this salad packs a wallop. Both are uniquely authentic using typical ingredients in an Italian household but in unusual combinations. To be honest, I have not yet tested them out but can tell I will love them both; a real treat for a salad lover like me. The only things I might do differently is to portion the pancetta a little thinner and cut the cherry tomatoes in half before I sprinkle on the sea salt and cook them.

I'll let you know if I like them or love them but how can they miss with the combinations involved. Hope you enjoy them as well since they are easy to make and all the ingredients are readily available; plus as with most Italian food, it is inexpensive to make and uses healthy ingredients, which is always an added bonus.

Bon Appetito, and let me know if you try them how they worked for you.

Bob Leonardi, of Auburn, ran a successful restaurant business, catering, and gourmet food store in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for 15 years

Caesar Salad with Pancetta

1/2 inch thick 3/4 pound Pancetta, sliced

2 pints cherry tomatoes

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed Salt and pepper to taste

2 head Romaine lettuce

1 cup Parmesan cheese

For dressing:

2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 8 to 10 anchovy fillets 1 lemon 2 teaspoons sea salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Wash all produce. Grind fresh ground pepper. Grate parmesan cheese. Measure all the rest of the ingredients. Cut and squeeze lemon so you have at least 1/2 cup. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut pancetta into 1/2 inch cubes (I think it should only be 1/4-inch thick and maybe 1/2-inch square) and cook it in a skillet over medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until browned and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet (I think I would cut them in half first) and coat with enough olive oil to cover them nicely. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft. Tear lettuce into bite size pieces.

For the dressing, place the mayo, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a blender. Process until smooth. With the blender running on a medium speed, slowly pour the olive oil in until it is all in and let it run for another minute or two so it emulsifies (that way it won't separate). Add 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and pulse three times until well blended.

Toss the lettuce with enough dressing to moisten well. Add 1 cup grated parmesan and toss some more. Add the pancetta and cherry tomatoes. Give it another quick toss and you are good to go. Always taste and add whatever is lacking if it is not to your liking.

Caesar Salad with Pancetta

1/2 inch thick 3/4 pound Pancetta, sliced

2 pints cherry tomatoes

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed Salt and pepper to taste

2 head Romaine lettuce

1 cup Parmesan cheese

For dressing:

2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 8 to 10 anchovy fillets 1 lemon 2 teaspoons sea salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Wash all produce. Grind fresh ground pepper. Grate parmesan cheese. Measure all the rest of the ingredients. Cut and squeeze lemon so you have at least 1/2 cup. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut pancetta into 1/2 inch cubes (I think it should only be 1/4-inch thick and maybe 1/2-inch square) and cook it in a skillet over medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until browned and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet (I think I would cut them in half first) and coat with enough olive oil to cover them nicely. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft. Tear lettuce into bite size pieces.

For the dressing, place the mayo, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a blender. Process until smooth. With the blender running on a medium speed, slowly pour the olive oil in until it is all in and let it run for another minute or two so it emulsifies (that way it won't separate). Add 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and pulse three times until well blended.

Toss the lettuce with enough dressing to moisten well. Add 1 cup grated parmesan and toss some more. Add the pancetta and cherry tomatoes. Give it another quick toss and you are good to go. Always taste and add whatever is lacking if it is not to your liking.