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
Total Time: 25 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.
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.
