Recipe: Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2001-07-03
From: Sara,.MN

Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

Mozzarella and tomatoes is about the quickest and easiest combination imaginable. And very tasty, too. It makes a nice antipasto or main course on a hot day, and is perfect on a picnic.

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, quartered, seeded, and coarsely chopped.
A fresh mozzarella, weighing about a pound, diced.
1/4 pound pitted black olives (the sweet variety that's cured in brine) or to taste, chopped
1 tablespoon salted capers, or to taste
1/4 cup olive oil, or to taste
Fresh basil leaves, hand-shredded (3-5 or to taste)
Pepper and salt (if necessary)

Combine the tomatoes and mozzarella in a bowl with the olives. If the capers are very salty, rinse them lightly; otherwise stir them in too, together with the olive oil and the basil. Season with black pepper, check seasoning, and if necessary add more salt (keep in mind that the capers are salty). Chill and serve; serves 6-8.

Note: sweet pitted black olives is my personal preference; if you prefer a different kind of olive feel free to substitute it. Also, in this case pickled capers really won't work well -- in the absence of salted capers I would omit capers entirely.