This stunning salad features the freshest flavors of summer – ripe tomatoes, sweet peaches, and bright herbs – plus smoked mozzarella for an added depth.
Peaches—check! Lots of herbs—check! Carbs—check! A good number of my favorite things are in this salad, including a well-balanced matchup of savory and sweet ingredients. The recipe makes several servings, but if you don’t plan to share (no judgment), portion it and add the appropriate amount of bread and dressing only to what you’re eating right away. That way you won’t end up with sad, soggy bread leftovers. Makes 6 servings.
Photo © Joe St. Pierre
Ingredients:
- 2 pita bread rounds, halved and cut into 1-inch-wide strips
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds mixed tomatoes (I like to use cherry and small heirlooms), halved or sliced into wedges
- 3 ripe peaches, sliced into wedges
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 2 ounces smoked fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 8 large basil leaves, roughly chopped
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Arrange the pita pieces evenly on a baking sheet. Brush them with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season lightly with salt. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until golden, flipping once.
- Whisk together the vinegar and mustard in a large bowl. Vigorously whisk in the remaining 5 tablespoons oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the tomatoes, peaches, onion, mozzarella, parsley, and basil to the bowl and toss to coat. Break the bread into smaller pieces, scatter them into the bowl, and toss the salad once more. Serve immediately.
Excerpted and adapted from Tomato Love © by Joy Howard.
