We make this summer salad from the beginning to the end of tomato season, and we love it every time. It’s beautiful made with heirloom tomatoes of different colors.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　2 pounds tomatoes

　　12 ounces fresh mozzarella

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

　　1/4 cup olive oil (extra-virgin is nice)

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　Black pepper

　　

Step 1

Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch dice (about 4 cups). Cut the mozzarella into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups). Put them in a large serving bowl. Add the basil. Stir in the olive oil and the salt. Add pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

　　

Variations

Step 2

Try feta cheese (about 1 cup crumbled) instead of mozzarella.

　　

Step 3

Artichoke hearts, pine nuts, olives, and minced red peppers are all delicious in the salad.

　　

Step 4

Toss Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Salad with hot pasta—the basil will become more fragrant and the mozzarella will begin to melt.

　　

Serving & menu ideas

Step 5

Just right with Fettuccine with Fresh Herbs (page 24). Or pile it on toasted bread for crostini. For a summer buffet, serve it with Potato Salad with Green & White Beans (page 105), Corn on the Cob (page 188), and a platter of melon wedges.

　　From Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table. Copyright © 2017 by Moosewood Collective. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from ThriftBooks or Amazon.