CAPRESE SALAD

Ingredients

• 8 (about 750g) heirloom tomatoes
• 2 cups basil leaves
• 2 buffalo mozzarella, drained
• toasted crostini, to serve

olive & pine nut dressing

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil,
• 2 tbs red wine vinegar,
• 1 tsp caster sugar,
• 8 kalamata olives, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1 tbs pine nuts, toasted, chopped

Method

1. Wash and dry tomatoes. Working with 1 tomato at a time, thickly slice tomato. Season each slice with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then place slices back on top of each other to reform each tomato as a whole.
2. For the dressing, whisk oil, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper together until well combined. Stir in the olives and pine nuts.
3. Scatter the basil over 4 serving plates. Tear mozzarella in half and arrange on serving plates with tomatoes. Spoon over the dressing and serve with crostini.

Tip: To make crostini; very thinly slice a sour dough loaf. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Arrange in a single layer on baking trays, bake in 200°C fan forced oven for 10 minutes until light golden.