This recipe is from the newsletter of Ciao Italia's Mary Ann Esposito. I've watched her PBS cooking show since I was a very young girl . . . and she is still on the air . . . America's longest running cooking show! Check your local PBS listings or visit her website to find out when she's on in your area.
I remember the days when we grew so many tomato plants that friends and family would leave the house with bags of tomatoes. It was such a joy to have so many fresh tomatoes at my fingertips. This fresh tomato vinaigrette is the type of food I would often make.
To make a creamy tomato salad dressing, add some mayonnaise. Experiment and add mayonnaise slowly until you reach the desired taste and consistency.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large Backyard Farms vine ripened tomato
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1/4 cup basil cut into ribbons
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Cut the large tomato in half and grate with a box grater over a dish or wide bowl, discarding the skins, but collecting the juice and pulp.
Mince the garlic clove with a little salt. Add to the tomato. Add a pinch more salt, crushed red pepper to taste, vinegar and basil. Whisk in enough of the olive oil to make an emulsion.
This should yield at least one half cup of vinaigrette.