Serves 6
Tomatoes, basil and cheese are the perfect food match and well-known as a caprese salad. Roasting the tomatoes first and then mixing them with Westfalia Lemon Flavoured Avocado Oil creates a fantastic dressing which adds a delicious flavour to this impressive starter or side dish for a feast table.
INGREDIENTS
Oven-dried tomatoes
200 g baby rosa tomatoes, halved lengthwise
100 g cherry tomatoes, halved
large pinch of coarse salt
Caprese
45 ml (3 tbsp) Westfalia Plain Avocado Oil
45 ml (3 tbsp) Westfalia Lemon Flavoured Avocado Oil
3 large sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped from the stalks
100 g exotic or more cherry tomatoes, quartered
1-2 medium, ripe tomatoes, cut in wedges and then halved
120 g bocconcini, halved or torn; or mozzarella, cubed; or ricotta cheese, crumbled
3 ripe avocados, halved, thinly sliced and fanned
fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
1. Oven-dried tomatoes: Preheat oven to 180 °C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place rosa and cherry tomatoes on the baking tray in a single layer. Sprinkle coarse salt over. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until cooked and almost dried, but still holding their shape.
3. Caprese: Place oven-dried tomatoes with any pan juices, avocado oils and rosemary in a bowl and mix through. Add fresh tomatoes and cheese to the oven-dried tomatoes and toss through gently.
4. Marinate tomato mixture for about 10-15 minutes.
5. Place avocados cut side down on a large platter or individual plates and fan slightly. Top with tomato mixture and fresh basil.
6. Season with salt and a grind of black pepper and drizzle with the remaining tomato marinade. Serve as a starter, salad, side dish or part of a feast table.
KITCHEN TIPS
1. Westfalia Garlic Flavoured Avocado Oil will also be delicious in this recipe. Substitute 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the plain avocado oil with garlic-flavoured avocado oil.
2. When fresh avocados aren’t available, enjoy the tomato mixture with Westfalia Plain Guacamole.
3. The tomato mixture and avocado will be delicious as part of a brunch or breakfast. Enjoy with eggs and toasted ciabatta.
4. Try this recipe with any other cheese of your choice, like blue cheese, feta, pecorino or creamy goat’s cheese.
