Hey Guys,
I am really excited to bring you this recipe for Tomato and Olive salad. It’s the perfect time of year to make something so simple and easy yet full of flavor! For this recipe, I have teamed up with Ditalia, an Italian import business based right here in St. Louis, Missouri to show you some of the products that I like to use. When you are making something as simple as this tomato salad, the ingredients have to be top notch or else it won’t make as big of an impact when eating.
When it comes to selecting your tomatoes for this dish make sure you get them from your local farmer’s market, that way you know they are fresh and have not been in a refrigerator. Once refrigerated tomatoes start to break down making them mealy, which is possibly the worst thing that can happen.
There had been a lot of talk about fake olive oil that has been on our shelves recently. This is exactly why you need to have a trusted source. Olio Tre Casi Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been made by the La Plena, Giaimo, and Zito families in the mountains of Madonie, Sicily for centuries. Check out the video of Vince meeting up with the producers of this rare olive oil.
An interesting side note: U crastu olives are smaller than the average olive, yet richly flavored. It can only be harvested by hand and the process is very intense, since the trees almost exclusively grow on steep slopes.
The vinegar I used in this recipe is also by DITALIA. This wine vinegar is made from Trebbiano and Sauvignon Blanc grapes for a crisp, bright white wine flavor, which is perfect counterpoint to the salt and fat you get from the olives and oil.
Ditalia is a second generation Italian import business based right here in St. Louis, MO. I have used them for specialty products for a number of years and have always loved the family aspect of their business. Needless to say I immediately jumped at the chance to partner with them and bring you guys Italian inspired recipes using their unique products. As a thank you for all your guys support, Ditalia is offering 15% percent off of your first purchase by using code “chefjosh”
Ingredients
2-3 large heirloom tomatoes
12 castelvetrano olives(chopped)
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 small piece of garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt
Couple cracks of black pepper
Directions
Combine olives, olive oil, vinegar, fresh herbs, crushed red pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl to make a relish of sorts
Slice your tomatoes and lay in a flat layer on a serving dish, sprinkle with a bit of salt to season.
Spoon over the olive relish to your liking and garnish with some freshly torn basil.
Serve with salami and/ or cheese at the beginning of your meal or as a side to roasted meat.
