i made a tomato mozzarella tower with tapenade and basil dressing years ago that i thoroughly enjoyed.
tonight, to pair with our spaghetti and meatball main dish, i simplified the dressing to a simple basil and oil mixture.
little one helped create the tower by stacking the ingredients, an exercise in patterns.
simple, beautiful and classic. love it!
ingredients
salad
3 pounds ripe organic tomatoes, (beefsteak, yellow, and heirloom), sliced into ½-inch thick rounds- 1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- fresh basil leaves and sprigs, for garnish
dressing
- 9 basil leaves, minced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and ground black pepper
preparation
in a mixing bowl, prepare the dressing by mixing all ingredients. set aside.
lay out a plate of tomato and mozzarella slices.
place a tomato slice on a plate. then place a slice of the mozzarella on top, scoop some dressing and spread on top of the mozzarella. repeat.
garnish with a sprig of fresh basil and repeat to make 4 to 6 plates.
resource
recipe inspired from Boy Meets Grill: Stacked Tomato Salad with Black Olive Tapenade and Sweet Basil Dressing
