Tuscan tomato mozzarella basil (Printable)

Elegant stacks of tomato, mozzarella, and basil with olive oil and balsamic glaze in minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fresh Produce

01 - 4 medium ripe tomatoes
02 - 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves

→ Dairy

03 - 8.8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese

→ Pantry

04 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
06 - Sea salt, to taste
07 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - Cut tomatoes and mozzarella into 8 even slices approximately 0.4 inches thick each.
02 - Wash and pat dry the fresh basil leaves.
03 - Place a tomato slice on the serving platter, top with a mozzarella slice and a basil leaf. Repeat layering to build a stack 3 to 4 layers high, finishing with basil on top.
04 - Insert a long toothpick or bamboo skewer vertically through the center of each stack to hold the layers firmly.
05 - Drizzle olive oil and balsamic glaze over each stack. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Present immediately as a vibrant and refreshing appetizer.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It takes fifteen minutes and zero cooking, so you can actually enjoy time with your guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
  • Those layers look intentional and impressive, even though you're just stacking three ingredients that taste perfect together.
  • It's the kind of thing that feels indulgent but tastes like summer distilled into one bite.
02 -
  • Room temperature tomatoes and mozzarella taste infinitely better than cold ones, so pull them from the fridge twenty minutes before assembly if you can.
  • If your stack starts to lean, gently adjust the toothpick angle by a millimeter or two instead of pulling it all the way out; micro-corrections are your friend.
03 -
  • Invest in a really good sharp knife for slicing; tomatoes are delicate and deserve a blade that cuts cleanly instead of crushing.
  • If your mozzarella is too soft and won't slice neatly, chill it for an hour or so and it'll become more cooperative without losing its creamy texture.
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