This recipe is pretty much infinitely expandable, so the amounts given are guidelines more than hard and fast amounts.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time45 minutesmins
Servings: 3- 4 servings as a side dish
Author: Donalyn Ketchum
Ingredients
1/3cupbalsamic vinegar
1 8ounceball fresh mozzarella cheese
6tablespoonsgood olive oildivided
1medium garlic clovepeeled
2large red skin potatoes
2medium fresh ripe tomatoes
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
6 to 10large 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.