RIPE TOMATO STACK WITH PINE NUTS AND MOZZARELLA
DRESSING
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- â…› teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
- â…“ medium red onion, cut into ÂĽ-inch dice
- 3 tablespoons dried currants
- Salt
- 2 tight-packed tablespoons fresh basil leaves, torn
- â…” cup pine nuts, toasted
- 6 medium ripe tomatoes
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella packed in liquid, sliced ½ inch thick
- About 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions:
Garlic and pine nuts, currants and onion, take the ubiquitous tomato-mozzarella salad into new territory.
- To make the dressing, in a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, red pepper flakes, onion, currants, and salt to taste. Let the mixture stand for 20 to 30 minutes. Just before assembling the dish, stir in the basil and all but ¼ cup of the pine nuts.
- Core the tomatoes. Check that each is stable when placed cored side down on a plate. (The idea behind this dish is that each tomato will be sliced horizontally and layered with cheese and seasonings so that it looks whole again on the plate. Keep each tomato’s slices in order for easy assembly.)
- Cut each tomato horizontally into ½-inch-thick slices. Place the bottom slice of each tomato on a serving platter. Season them with a little salt, then top each with a slice of cheese. Season the cheese with a teaspoon or so of the onion mixture. Continue the layers until all the tomatoes are reassembled.
- To finish the dish, sprinkle the tomatoes with the reserved pine nuts, the olive oil, and any leftover onion mixture. Serve at room temperature.