Recipe by By J. Kenji López-Alt/ Serious Eats
(link includes video recipe!)
Total Time: 10 minutes Servings: 4-6
The only trick is to use high-quality, in-season ingredients… and put the balsamic back in the cupboard.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ pounds best-quality ripe tomatoes, mixed sizes, at room temperature
- 8 to 12 ounces best-quality fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into bite-size chunks
- Best-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- Coarse sea salt, such as Maldon or fleur de sel
- Coarsely ground fresh black pepper
- 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves
Directions:
- Cut tomatoes into an assortment of slices and chunks and spread over a large plate in a single, slightly overlapping layer.
- Tuck chunks of mozzarella among the tomato pieces.
- Drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and black pepper.
- Tear basil leaves into small pieces with your fingertips and spread them on top.
- Serve immediately.
VQ note: My version is even simpler: roughly equal slices of tomato and mozzarella, layered with whole basil leaves. No oil or salt or pepper even needed.