Heirloom Tomato Salad with Stracciatella
A bright, fresh and beautiful summer salad layered with colourful heirloom tomatoes, peppery rocket, tiny tomberries and generous spoonfuls of creamy stracciatella.
Ingredients
3–4 heirloom tomatoes in different colours
1 punnet tomberries
1 punnet cherry tomatoes on the vine
1 bunch fresh rocket
1 ball fresh burrata or approximately 200–250 g stracciatella
Extra-virgin olive oil, for dressing
Balsamic vinegar, for dressing
Flaky sea salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Anchovies, optional
Capers, optional
Method
1. Prepare the tomatoes
Thinly slice the heirloom tomatoes, taking care to preserve their beautiful internal patterns. Set them aside for assembling.
Wash the tomberries and cherry tomatoes, then dry them thoroughly. Leave the smallest tomatoes whole and halve some of the larger cherry tomatoes to create a mixture of shapes and textures.
2. Dress the rocket
Place the rocket in a bowl and add a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.
Toss gently until the leaves are lightly coated, then arrange them across the base of a large serving platter.
3. Build the salad
Arrange some of the heirloom tomato slices over the rocket. Alternating different colours each time.
Scatter over a handful of tomberries and cherry tomatoes, then continue layering the different tomatoes across the platter. Let their colours, shapes and beautiful patterned centres remain visible, we want abundance, not perfect symmetry.
4. Add the cheese
If using burrata, gently tear it open and pull it into soft pieces. If using stracciatella, add generous spoonfuls directly from the container.
Nestle the cheese throughout the tomatoes so every part of the platter receives something creamy.
5. Season and finish
Drizzle the salad generously with extra-virgin olive oil and a final ribbon of balsamic vinegar.
Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and flaky sea salt just before serving.
Keep refrigerated until shortly before serving.
Sofia’s Notes
For a salty, savoury edge, add anchovies and capers between the tomatoes and creamy stracciatella.
Thin slices of fresh grapefruit or pomelo make a beautiful addition, bringing brightness, gentle bitterness and acidity to balance the rich cheese and olive oil.
Serve with thick pieces of warm fluffy focaccia for scooping up the tomatoes, stracciatella and balsamic juices left at the bottom of the platter.
