Insalata Broccoli e Mozzarella

This salad is fresh and light, yet delicious and substantial thanks to a liberal topping of mozzarella cheese. You can use as much or as little cheese as you like, emphasizing the salad or the mozzarella.

Although the ingredient list is not small, most of the inputs you likely have in your kitchen—just grab some broccoli, sungolds, and mozzarella and you have a great dish.

Insalata Broccoli e Mozzarella

Makes four salad course-sized servings or two larger.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs fresh broccoli, about 3 or 4 smaller heads, trimmed to florets
1/3 cup pine nuts
2 shallots, diced
2 cups sungold tomatoes or your favorite cherry tomato
1 cup basil leaves, lightly-packed, preferably Genovese, chiffonaded
2 orbs fresh mozzarella, preferably two different artisans, at least one Bufala
your best peppery olive oil, to taste
aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena, to taste
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
balsamic vinegar syrup, to garnish

Bring a large heavily-salted pot of water to boil. Add the broccoli and blanch for 90 seconds. Drain and submerge in an ice bath. Drain.

Toasting Pine Nuts

While bringing the pot to a boil, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast, constantly moving, until just brown, about 2 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

Mixing the Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli, tomatoes, basil, pine nuts, and shallot. Add olive oil, aceto balsamico, black pepper, sea salt, and ground cayenne pepper to taste. Mix well.

Cut the orbs of mozzarella into medium-sized slices, 6-8 per ball.

Plated, Garnished, and Ready to Serve

Arrange the salad on large plates. Atop the salad, place the mozzarella in overlapping rows, keeping the different cheeses separate. Garnish with black pepper and balsamic vinegar syrup. Serve at room temperature, or slightly cool. Pairs well with a dry Chenin Blanc from Vouvray in the Loire Valley.