As friends head back to school and summer’s last-hurrah holiday is upon us, I’m savoring the final bounty of hot-weather produce before getting ready for fall. Two trademark fruits of this season are, of course, tomatoes and peaches, easily found at any local farmer’s market in the mid-late summer. And this peach and heirloom tomato caprese is as easy to make as it is delicious to eat.
I love a good insalata caprese— traditionally made with Roma tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, whole basil leaves, olive oil and balsamic. But there’s nothing quite like experiencing the bursts of juicy brightness au naturel. Not to mention the fact that these tomatoes are plump and weighty, their delicate flesh bursting at the seams. A little oil and vinegar bring out the tomato’s sweetness, inducing the “now this is a tomato” exclamation. As far as the caprese, we kept the basil but skipped the cheese; you can always add it of course (and, for that matter, I would suggest burrata).
The last of summer tomatoes!
Peach and Heirloom Tomato Caprese For Two
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe peach, white or yellow, sliced.
- 1 large or 2 small heirloom tomato(es), sliced. The one pictured here (yup– that’s all one tomato!) is a Cherokee heirloom tomato.
- 3 large basil leaves (or equivalent), chiffonade‘d.
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste.
- Balsamic vinegar to taste. We love the sweetness of an aged balsamic like this one.
Arrange sliced fruit on a plate and sprinkle with basil leaves. Splash on balsamic and oil to taste. Let stand for about 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to mingle and fruit to loose its chill. This dish is best served at room temperature. Enjoy!
