Winter Caprese Salad
A warm winter twist on the classic Caprese salad featuring slow-roasted plum tomatoes, creamy buffalo mozzarella, and fresh basil pesto topped with toasted pine nuts.
Ingredients
- •12 whole plum tomatoes
- •1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
- •1 to taste salt and pepper
- •2 cloves garlic
- •6 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano
- •6 cups fresh basil leaves
- •4 tablespoons pine nuts
- •8 large bocconcini
- •cut into quarters
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
1. Preheat the oven to 200°F.
5 min
- 2.
2. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with 1/2 cup of the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place cut side down on a small baking sheet and bake for about 2 hours, or until the tomatoes are softened.
120 min
- 3.
3. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and let cool.
20 min
- 4.
4. Transfer the cooled tomatoes to a colander and set aside to drain while you make the pesto.
10 min
- 5.
5. Combine the garlic and Parmigiano in a blender and pulse until the garlic is roughly chopped. Add the basil and pulse 7 or 8 times, or until the leaves are shredded. With the blender running, slowly add the remaining 1 cup olive oil, blending until smooth.
10 min
- 6.
6. Toast the pine nuts in an 8-inch sauté pan over medium heat, tossing frequently, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
4 min
- 7.
7. To serve, arrange 3 tomato halves cut side down on each plate. Place a ball of mozzarella in the center and spoon 2 tablespoons of the pesto onto each ball of mozzarella. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and garnish with basil leaves.
10 min
