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Italian Tomato Salad - Pomodori Marinati

By , About.com Guide

These tomatoes are a picnic dish, and to be honest I'm not sure why they're called marinated in Italian, since it only takes about 15 minutes to do. To serve 4 you'll need:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 5 not too ripe fairly large flavorful tomatoes
  • 2 red Tropea onions (a single sweet Vidalia will work as a substitute)
  • 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 sage leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup extravirgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons salted capers, rinsed and chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 cup pitted black olives, chopped (optional)
  • 1/4 cup shredded pecorino (optional)

Preparation:

Peel the onion, slice it finely, and sauté it in a pan with the olive oil and 2 tablespoons warm water; keep the flame low so they wilt but don’t brown. Stir them about often, and add more water if need be to keep them from drying out; figure 8 minutes in all.

Season the onions with the vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, the sage and bay leaves, and raise the flame to high for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Turn the onions out into a bowl and let them cool.

Wash and dry the tomatoes, cut them into 1/4-inch (1/2 cm) thick rounds, and arrange them in a bowl. Pour the onion mixture over the tomatoes, together with the optional ingredients if you so decide. Let all sit for a few minutes, shred the basil over the tomatoes as garnish, and they're ready.

What to serve this with? I'd be tempted by steak, or a platter of mixed grilled meats. The wine would depend upon what else is being served.

Yield: 4 servings Italian Tomato Salad.
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