This salad just sums up summer to me; close your eyes while you are eating it and you are transported to the meditteranean coast. It can be served either as a lunch on it's own, or as a side salad, or even as a starter. This is, like most salads, incredibly easy to prepare, if you want, this can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance, as long as it is kept refridgerated and covered. If you don't have balsamic vinegar, don't substitute normal vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is delicious, and a completely different flavour. A good subsitite is lemon juice, or alternatively don't use any vinegar. The quantities shown in this recipe serve 4 as a side salad.

Ingredients

• 2 Beefsteak tomatoes, sliced
• 1 Red onion, sliced
• 200g Mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 3 tsp Fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tbsp Pine nuts
• Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Arrange the slices of tomato, onion and cheese on the serving plate(s).
2. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and basil in a screw-top jar and shake well.
3. Add salt and pepper to the dressing as required.
4. Drizzle the dressing over the top of the salad.
5. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top of the salad.