Recipe: Bocconcini and Tomato Salad

Bocconcini and tomato salad – it’s such a quick, easy and fresh salad. Perfect for lunch, a weekend picnic or even on a Wednesday in May. The fresh basil is the trick! Okay, let’s get started.

Ingredients

• 4 large bocconcini balls
• 3 cups of grape heirloom tomatoes
• 4 fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

First, cut the large bocconcini balls into quarters and then cut those in half. Slice the tomatoes in half, assuming you are using grape heirloom ones, otherwise cut your larger tomatoes about 1/2 the size of a grape tomato.

Wash and gently pat dry the basil. Stack the leaves one on top of each other and roll gently. Then, with sharp knife, thinly slice the basil.

Dish out the bocconcini and tomatoes, evenly separating them and then top with the fresh basil. Doesn’t it look so pretty – all the bright colours?

Mix the dressing – the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, along with the salt and pepper. Top the salad with the dressing and eat up right away. Not too sure how leftovers of this salad work, since we’ve never had any!

This dressing follows the standard rule of 3 parts oil to one part vinegar. For me, though, I love equal parts. Not too sure why – perhaps I just love vinegar. Either way, I find less people like dressing that ‘punchy’ I’ll call it, so I stuck with the standard ratio. If you want more oil or vinegar, certainly modify as you wish – make food you love!

Done! It’s so good, so fresh and so tasty – that cheesiness mixed with the acidic tomatoes all mellowed out with the olive oil – too good to pass up.

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out this bocconcini and tomato salad. I hope to see you again soon. Bye!