HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD WITH BURRATA

This luxurious version of Caprese salad is fresh and incredibly rich with the runny goodness of fresh burrata, an Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream. Use a mixture of all different colours, shapes and sizes of tomatoes, as long as they are perfectly ripe. This recipe comes from Once Upon a Chef, a fine collection authored by Jennifer Segal, who founded a popular cooking blog of the same name.

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 lb (907 g) tomatoes, in differ

ent colours and shapes

1/4 tsp (1mL) salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground black pepper

Two 8 oz (230 g) balls fresh burrata

1/2 cup (120 g) basil pesto (recipe follows) or store-bought pesto

1. Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden in spots, about 3 minutes.

2. Depending on the size of your tomatoes, cut in halves, quarters and chunks. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut or tear the burrata balls into chunks and arrange over tomatoes. Dollop pesto over the top and sprinkle with the pine nuts. Serve immediately.

BASIL PESTO

1/3 cup (40 g) pine nuts or walnuts

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 cups (80 g) packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground black pepper

2/3 cup (160 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storing

1/2 cup (40 g]) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a food processor pulse nuts and garlic until coarsely chopped. Add basil, salt, and pepper and process until the mixture resembles a paste, about 1 minute. With the processor running, slowly pour in olive oil until pesto is thoroughly blended. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano and process 1 minute more.