Mozzarella Salad with Tomatoes, Basil and Parmesan
In summer, especially in the heat, I don't feel like eating much. I prefer light food made of vegetables, herbs and cheese, which most often count as appetizers. I make my mozzarella salad my own way. It is a mix of Caprese salad with green lettuce leaves, Parmesan and an olive oil dressing. This kind of food is perfect for an afternoon snack, or just a bite while you wait for a proper dinner.
Fresh mozzarella is very common in Italy and is made from buffalo and cow's milk. Here we mostly get mozzarella made from cow's milk; its quality is decent, and it comes in round pieces ranging from small ones, the size of a cherry or even smaller, to large ones the size of a chicken egg, and you can even find ball-shaped “heads” weighing several kilograms. Small pieces are great for all kinds of salads and pizza. For a salad, though, it is better to take small balls, so you don't have to cut them.
Any dish needs only fresh mozzarella, and it keeps for a very short time. Because of its short shelf life, it used to be made in small batches. Since mozzarella is a cheese, it can be eaten without any further processing, together with ham, vegetables and herbs. One of the best-known salads with this cheese is Caprese. It is an amazing combination of ripe red tomatoes, white mozzarella and fragrant green basil. The salad comes in the colors of the Italian national flag.
By and large, a tomato and mozzarella salad can be made without any extras at all. For example, bruschetta with a piece of tomato and a slice of cheese is very tasty – a perfect appetizer. Adding green basil, oregano, a light olive oil dressing and a few drops of balsamic vinegar improves the taste and aroma and makes the salad one of the best vegetable appetizers.
Ideally, buy Italian-made cheese in the form of small balls. They should be almost white, slightly stringy and have a light milky smell.
People often advise chilling vegetable salads. I rarely do that, because the smell of fresh tomatoes and herbs fades away, and that matters. Take the tomatoes out of the fridge in advance, or ideally go to the garden and pick them straight from the vine. If you can do that, I envy you in a good way. The same goes for the herbs. Fresh mozzarella is not hard to find, just watch the quality. And don't buy firm packaged mozzarella: it is better suited for pizza, and even there it is not the best choice.
Ingredients
4 servings
- Ripe tomatoes 800 g
- Mozzarella 150 g
- Parmesan 50 g
- Romaine lettuce 1 bunch
- Green basil 1 bunch
- Olive oil, balsamic vinegar for the dressing
- Salt, oregano to taste
Step-by-step recipe
- Don't pick fresh ripe tomatoes that are too large. The mozzarella salad turns out special if the tomatoes are small and cut in half or into wedges. A salad of multicolored tomatoes – red and pink, yellow and almost black – looks very festive. I took mozzarella balls the size of a small nut. A bunch of romaine (leaf lettuce will do too) and fragrant green basil – if the greens are a bit wilted, put them in cold water a few hours in advance, then pat dry.
- To serve the salad, you need a large flat-bottomed plate. Tear the lettuce leaves into pieces with your fingers, roughly the same way as for a Caesar salad. Don't cut the greens with a knife: they release a lot of juice and the mozzarella salad will be too wet. Lay the lettuce pieces on the bottom of the plate in an even layer of the same thickness.
- For the salad I took small round tomatoes that are sold here as “cocktail” tomatoes – I'm not sure that's the correct variety name. I think cherry tomatoes or other small varieties will work. Large tomatoes would have to be sliced, and they would give off a lot of liquid. I also added a few yellow tomatoes. Cut small tomatoes in half, larger ones into quarters or wedges. Lay the tomatoes on top of the lettuce leaves and salt lightly. Sprinkle with a pinch of dried oregano.
- Take the mozzarella balls out of the brine and let the liquid drain completely. Lay the cheese balls on top of the tomatoes. No need to mix. Pick all the leaves off the basil sprigs and scatter them over the mozzarella salad. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp olive oil and 0.5 tsp balsamic vinegar. Whisk the mixture with a fork and drizzle it evenly over the salad.
- Grate a piece of Parmesan. By the way, other hard aged cheeses work too – Grana Padano, Pecorino. If you like, you can also grind the cheese in a blender, but that's not essential. Sprinkle the salad generously with Parmesan.
- The appetizer is ready to serve. As I already said, there's no need to chill the salad: it tastes best at room temperature. If you like, garnish the salad with a sprig of basil. Serve the appetizer with toasted white bread rubbed with a garlic clove.
| Yield: | 4 servings |
| Calories: | 80 |
| Prep: | 5 mins |
| Cooking: | 10 mins |
| Ready in: | 15 mins |
| Category: | Salads |
| Cuisine: | Italian cuisine |
| Rating: |
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4.6
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