Tomato Bocconcini Salad

Summer is here.  I feel like we have been waiting for it forever but it has not disappointed.  It has been warm here, hot even, which is such a luxury.  When it is hot and sunny like this, all I want to eat is fresh food, especially salads.  There is nothing better than crisp cool salads with yummy dressings and the varieties are endless!  I love to experiment and come up with different combinations, especially fruits and nuts and cheeses!  So good.  This tomato salad made with fresh unripened cheese called Bocconcini (Bo-kon-chee-nee) is so refreshing and tasty and makes a great light lunch.  Try it, especially if you are like me and have basil plants just BURSTING with beautiful green leaves calling out to be used!  

Tomato Bocconcini Salad

3 medium vine ripened tomatoes or several roma or small tomatos

a few balls of regular bocconcini, quartered (or the mini ones you can get at costco left whole)

several leaves of fresh basil, chiffonade

1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1-2 tsp sugar

pinch salt

few grinds of black pepper

3-4 tbsp olive oil

Cut tomatoes into bite size pieces or if using smaller tomatoes, just quarter them.  Add cheese, either quartered or mini bocconcini.  Slice basil by taking the leaves and laying a few on top of each other and rolling them tightly and slicing across them to make thin strips.  For the dressing, mix vinegars, sugar, salt and pepper.  Drizzle in oil while whisking until incorporated.  Some like their dressing more "tangy" and others like more oil so use your tastes.  I like less oil in mine so about 2.5-3 tbsp for this recipe.  Toss with the salad (you will only use about half the dressing) and let sit at least 5-10 minutes for the flavors to come together.  Sit on your back patio and soak up every second of summer!