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I’m working to get the last of our summer produce “put up” before it’s too late. Kind of a bummer to have to interrupt my taking photos of pretty leaves and pinning things in Pinterest to can more tomatoes, but tomatoes won’t wait!
I try to also find as many ways as I can for us to enjoy the veggies we have while they are still fresh. Canned tomatoes are very welcome in January, but right now I want to enjoy them straight off the vine, and all the ones I can cram into meals now, are ones I don’t have to can or freeze. Can you tell that I am getting a little tired of canning?
And, while I’m avoiding canning any more tomatoes today, we have one heck of a lot of potatoes to get used up too. It was a great summer for potatoes apparently because we ended up with SO many. I think Larry might have gotten carried away with planting them last spring, but I’m not going to complain about it. It’s nice to have extras to share, and they will keep quite awhile, despite the fact that we don’t have a root cellar.
Tomatoes and potatoes might not be a flavor pairing that is at the top of everyone’s list, but maybe it ought to be. And especially if you are going to give everything a quick and easy roast in a hot oven, and then just kind of casually layer everything on a plate to serve it, making sure to drizzle plenty of reduced balsamic vinegar over the crispy roasted potatoes and rich almost jammy tomatoes.
Margherita – not margarita!
Margherita Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 8 ounce ball fresh mozzarella cheese
- 6 tablespoons good olive oil divided
- 1 medium garlic clove peeled
- 2 large red skin potatoes
- 2 medium fresh ripe tomatoes
- kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 6 to 10 large basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425º.
- Place the balsamic vinegar in a small saute pan and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring every minute or so, for several minutes, until it become thickened and syrupy. Remove to a small glass dish and set aside.
- Put 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a pie plate, and use a microplane to shred the peeled garlic clove - or mince the garlic very finely and add to oil, stirring to combine.
- Remove the mozzarella from the package and blot off any excess moisture, then cut into thin slices, and place them in the pie plate with the oil and garlic, turning to coat all sides. Let sit at room temperature to marinate until you need it later on in the recipe.
- Slice the potatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices.
- Slice the tomatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices and lay in a single layer n paper towels to blot up some of their liquid.
- Divide the remaining olive oil between two large heavy sheet pans, spread it out to coat the entire pan.
- Place the potato slices on one pan, in a single layer, turning to coat both sides with the oil, and sprinkle the top side lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place the tomatoes in a single layer on the other pan - you aren't going to turn them yet and the salt & pepper will wait for bit as well.
- Place both pans in the oven for about 20 minutes, turn over all of the potato and tomato slices, using a wide turner of some kind to keep the slices intact.
- Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with the salt and pepper, and return both pans to the oven for another 10 minutes. Take both pans out of the oven when the potatoes are cooked through - crispy and browned on the outside, but soft inside.
- Tear the basil leaves roughly, and set aside.
- On a serving plate, layer the potatoes, tomatoes and marinated cheese slices [you can also do individual servings as in the photo above], alternating the ingredients as you go, and scattering the torn basil here and there. I had a few slices of the cheese left over when I got done.
- Drizzle the reduced balsamic vinegar over the layered ingredients. The heat from the veggies will melt the cheese just a little.
- Serve warm, refrigerate leftovers.
A pretty wonderful side dish, but this could easily be the whole meal too, like on Meatless Monday!
note: this post contains one or more Amazon affiliate links and I make a small commission on your purchase.
Turkey Stuffed Delicata Squash
Caramelized Broccoli with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Lemony Carrot Muffins
Lemony Dill Hummus
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Lemon Garlic Roasted Cauliflower
Sweet and Smokey Braised Cabbage
Green Tomato Jalapeno Salsa
Kale Walnut Pesto
These look beyond amazing!
Thanks Jocelyn – i think we are going to have it again tonight!
This is such a delicious salad packed with flavors!
Thanks Katrina 🙂
Donalyn, thank you for visiting Carole’s Chatter. You have a lot of nice recipes. You might be interested in joining the Food on FRiday themed collections – each week there is a different theme or ingredient. Last week it was oregano and tarragon and the next one is honey. But you can also add dishes to earlier FoF’s p – there is a sidebar with links. Just leave a comment if you link to an older one so I know and can pin it to the relevant board so everyone can see it. Cheers
I’ll check it out Carole – thanks for stopping by!
Love this vibrant and delicius dish, Donalyn! Perhaps it taste wonderful with a lovely Margarita too 🙂
Now, that is a a great idea, Judit 🙂
Looks amazing!! Love all the flavors in here, such delicious comfort food.
Thanks Rachel – it really is!
I think this be a perfect meatless Monday dish. So good for you to have fresh produce bountiful in your garden. I know it is a lot of work now but I think the freeze is going to be happening soon so time is of the essence. You are going to love the fruits of your labour come this winter… Gorgeous dish! Just shared…
Thanks Bam – and that is what I keep telling myself with every jar I jam into the canner! 🙂
That’s a really pretty vegetable stack. I haven’t heard of a margherita potato stack before but with all its colours, it sure does look pretty. And very good for you too. Great recipe! xx
Thanks Charlie – very tasty too 😉
One of these days someone should make a margherita margarita. 😉 Anyway, I love dishes like this that are simple and rely on superb ingredients for their flavor. How nice to have all that great produce! And very creative to include potatoes in the dish — it really takes a classic in a new direction.
Thanks John – having all these veggie is a HUGE blessing and one I’m very thankful for – as well as being thankful for the guy who grows most of it!
Simplicity at its best! This veggie stack looks very tasty and packed with flavours.
Thanks Angie 😉
I love anything with basil, mozz and tomatoes…and now I need to throw roasted potatoes into the mix! What a terrific combination!
WOWZA! I sure could have used this delightful meal when I was doing all my freezing or “putting up”, Donalyn. I give you tons of credit for pushing on. I only froze this year and I’m still pooped!
That is one amazing dish!!! Thank you so much for sharing…
Just an amazing looking dish! I love every flavor in here and I know my family would go nuts for this. I think I already have everything I need so I’m thinking this will be dinner tonight!!