Ingredients

Tomatoes

• 6 large round vine ripened tomatoes (try to choose flat bottomed ones or trim the bottom so that they can stand on their the own)
• 500g fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced into 18 round slices
• 18 large basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic crushed (optional)
• Maldon salt and freshly ground pepper

To Serve

• 3 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoon pine nuts. Toasted
• 8 pieces of small basil leaves

Method

1. Remove the pith with a small knife.
2. Slice the tomato horizontally into 4 even slices and rub a little garlic and seasoning into each slice. Make sure you keep the slices together in the order they were cut.
3. Reassemble the tomatoes to their original shape on 6 serving plates by placing a basil leaf and a slice of mozzarella between each slice.

To Serve: Place the small basil leaves where you removed the pith. Drizzle the olive oil around the edge of each plate followed by the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the pine nuts around the plate and serve.