Name: Baby Bocconcini Caprese Salad
Ingredients: 1 head of butter lettuce; 1 cup of black cherry tomatoes; 1 cup of red cherry or Roma tomatoes; 1 cup of yellow pear tomatoes; 2 cups of bocconcini (baby mozzarella balls); 1 bunch of fresh basil; 1 shallot finely minced; 1/2 tsp red chili flakes; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/2 cup red wine vinegar; 1 TBS Dijon mustard; 1 TBS honey; Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

When summer tomatoes hook up with baby bocconcini balls… It’s a match made in heaven!!!

Right now we are in the thick of tomato season in Italy. My summer vegetable garden is crammed full of baby cherry, plum, pear, and heirloom tomatoes in all shapes, colors, and sizes. They’re ripe sweet and juicy. Like little spoonfuls of sugar.

I cannot seem to use them quickly enough. And I now understand how Italian’s manage to stockpile these gems for the winter months. They preserve and store them in jars with olive oil and use them for cooking in the cold months when tomatoes aren’t seasonal.

Right now it’s too hot to cook so I have been using them to whip up fresh summer salads like this traditional old-school Caprese salad.

The classic combo of tomatoes, basil, and Italian mozzarella is absolute perfection.

It’s screams summer in Italy in a bowl.

I love the way the mix of different tomatoes adds variety to the salad.

And don’t get me started on the delicious vinaigrette that goes with this beauty. You can drizzle it on just about anything.

Now to head back to the pool and cool off from the summer sun xxx MM