I’ve been eyeing this recipe ever since got Barefoot Contessa’s Back to Basics cookbook, and when I finally made it I was not disappointed! Roasting the tomatoes for two hours really concentrates their flavour, making them rich and the salad delicious. With the festive colours in the salad I thought this would be a great time to share it, hope you enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad

Ingredients

12 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeds (not cores) removed

¼ cup olive oil, + more for drizzling post-roasting

1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons sugar

1½ teaspoons kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, + more to taste post-roasting

16 ounces fresh salted mozzerella (bocconcini also works, it’s what I used)

12 fresh basil leaves, julienned

Directions

Preheat oven to 275oF.

Cut tomatoes and place in bowl. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper, and mix well until tomatoes are coated.

Spread tomatoes out in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet pan with skin sides down. Roast for 2 hours until the tomatoes are concentrated and begin to caramelize. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Cut the cheese into slices less than ½ inch thick. Layer the tomatoes alternately with the cheese on a platter and scatter the basil on top. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Enjoy!

Source: Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics