Fresh Mozzarella with Tomatoes and Pesto Oil

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

Mozzarella, freshly made a few hours ago, vine-ripened tomatoes, harvested from a nearby farm, fresh garden basil leaves plucked from their stems in the wee hours of daylight...

Have I bored you with this late summer prelude? Fear not — the locavore police has not stepped up its militancy. The olive oil and Parmesan used to make the pesto was produced in Italy, and I have Mexican avocados ripening on my counter as I pen these words.

But of all of the fruits and vegetables I can imagine, there is nothing as worthy of celebration than an August tomato, swollen with possibilities that beckon the cook.

Folks don't always agree on what constitutes the best tomato varietal. But we are all in accord that a well-ripened tomato savored hot off the vine makes for the best eating experience. The bold, often irregular shapes, and acid-sweet flavors are the antithesis of the perfectly symmetrical, flavorless hybridized reds we’re accustomed to seeing in grocery bins. Available throughout the year, these tomatoes, with their lackluster flavor and mealy texture, are genetically modified for shelf-life and to withstand the rigors of shipment.

Of course a vine-ripened sliced tomato needs no more embellishment than a sprinkle of salt and a generous grind of pepper. But what fun to notch up its glory by constructing, or deconstructing, an Insalata Caprese — the noble salad from the Italian region of Campania; the red, white and green of her flag fanned across a plate.

Caprese salad is an ideal recipe to make at this time of the year because, for me, it’s the only time of the year the tomato tastes like a tomato, the way nature intended it to be eaten. Creamy fresh mozzarella is the ideal foil for its sweet wet tang, and don't forget the tomatoes most compatible companion — the redolent perfume of fresh chopped basil.

And what fun to fiddle with this abundance of local tomatoes and basil; summer’s last hyperbolic stand, spun into infinite guises.

I doubled the basil leaf goodness by making a batch of basil pesto, then thinned it with additional olive oil. I drizzled it over the salad and served it with another Caprese essential: good crusty bread.

You could also reduce balsamic vinegar to a syrupy glaze, and anoint your Caprese with the sacred droplets. Or consider chopping up your Caprese and tossing it with chopped romaine lettuce or freshly cooked pasta. Or make a Caprese sandwich — add a slice of proscuitto if you're feeling frisky — grill it or not, you are the master of this sandwich.

Then there are the tomatoes to consider; wild striped heirlooms or the more traditional fat beefsteaks. Of course buffalo’s milk mozzarella is divine, but consider a local mozzarella from Zingerman’s or S. Serra. You could also make a mini Caprese using cherry tomatoes and the smaller balls of fresh mozzarella.

Contemplating such caprise, you perk up in the lethargy of heat realizing everything is possible in August.

Yield: 4 servings
Time: 15 minutes (not including pesto preparation)

Ingredients

2 locally grown ripe red tomatoes, sliced then halved*
2 locally grown ripe yellow tomatoes, sliced then halved*
8-12 large basil leaves
1 (approx. 8-ounce fresh mozzarella ball) sliced then halved
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons prepared pesto (recipe follows)

* My tomatoes were large so I cut them in half for easier serving, though it’s not necessary.

Directions

1. Lightly sprinkle tomato slices with kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Select a large platter or individual serving dishes. Arrange by alternating and overlapping mozzarella slices with sliced tomatoes and basil.
2. Combine olive oil with pesto and spoon over top.

Ingredients for pesto

1 cup pine nuts
4 large cloves of garlic, peeled

4 cups packed freshly harvested basil leaves, washed, stems and flowers removed
1/2 to 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup grated Parmigianno Reggiano*

*Omit the Reggiano if you're freezing the pesto. Simply add it back after the pesto is thawed.



Directions for pesto 


1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees.*

2. Toast the pine nuts and garlic in the oven until the pine nuts are golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
3. In a food processor, puree the garlic with 2 tablespoons oil until smooth. Add the pine nuts to the bowl and, with off and on pulses, pulse until semi-pureed yet coarse. With a spatula, scrape garlic-nut mixture from the bowl into another bowl and reserve.

4. Working in batches, place the basil leaves in the food processor and, with the addition of remaining olive oil, puree until smooth. Combine basil mixture with garlic-nut mixture. Stir in Parmesan and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. The pesto will remain fresh, tightly covered, several days refrigerated. You may also spoon into ice cube trays and freeze them to use as desired. 


*To sweeten and soften the flavor of the garlic, add a toasted component to the pine nut flavor, I toast them. This step may be omitted.