Salad: Italian Style Green Leaves With Mozzarella, Tomatoes

When an Italian style green leaf salad is called for, this one's a good choice. The mozzarella garnish provides a nice addition and makes it interesting enough to serve as a first course before a pasta dish.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 120  g  salad leaves (Italian style, chose a packet which includes e.g. Green Oak Leaf, Lollo Rosso and Apollo)
• 60  g mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 6  cherry tomatoes, halved (or sliced if you have the time or patience)
• 1⁄2  yellow pepper, de-seeded and sliced
• 6 -8  black olives (optional)
• 30  ml  chopped basil (optional)
• 15  ml lemon juice
• 15  ml olive oil
• 1  large sun-dried tomato (finely diced)
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Make a salad dressing from the lemon juice, finely diced sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reserve 10 ml of the dressing.
2. Mix the salad leaves and basil (if using) with the pepper and tomatoes.
3. Just before serving, toss the (20 ml) salad dressing through the leaves to dress lightly. Place in deep bowls (as there is too little mozzarella to serve in wide bowls) to serve and top each with a few slices of mozzarella and a drizzle of the remaining salad dressing (which will then give a glossy, red-speckled sheen to the cheese garnish).