Credits to Foster’s Market
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Basil Pesto (or store bought)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 day-old baguette or Italian bread, cut or town into 1-inch pieces
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes, cored and sliced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- 12 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces or thinly sliced
Basil Pesto
- 2 handfuls of fresh basil leaves (about 2 cups, firmly packed)
- 1 bunch fresh parsley leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup extra virgin oil oil
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 3 ounces grated parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Place the pesto in a large bowl and stir in 2 Tbsp of the olive oil to combine. Add the bread and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spread on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer.
- Bake until crispy and golden brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Arrange the tomatoes and mozzarella on a large platter, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle with basil, season to taste with salt and pepper and top with the croutons. This salad is best served room temperatures
Basil Pesto – makes about 2 cups
- Place the basil, parsley, garlic and lemon in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse several times to roughly chop.
- With the motor running, pour the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times while adding the oil.
- Add the pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and puree until smooth, about 1 minutes.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve or for up to 4 days.
Notes
Made August 17, 2025. Best use of summer tomatoes! Store bought pesto works perfectly fine here.
