Puttanesca Tomato Salad

At the height of summer, there is nothing better than a plate of sweet, juicy tomatoes enhanced by the simplest of toppings like mozzarella and basil. And while classic Caprese salad will always have a place in our hearts and at our tables every summer, this season a new tomato salad stole our affections: Puttanesca Tomato Salad.

Inspired by the popular Neapolitan pasta dish, this salad still has all the traditional components of Pasta Puttanesca—anchovies, garlic, olives and capers—senza (without) the actual spaghetti. Imagine this: thick slices and wedges of heirloom tomatoes nestled with fragrant basil leaves and topped with briny capers, olives and a umami-packed dressing of extra virgin olive oil, Colatura di Alici (think Italian fish sauce), garlic and hot pepper. Is your mouth watering yet?

Recipe, food styling & photography by Asha Loupy

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, such as Frantoi Cutrera Nocellara
2 tablespoons IASA Colatura di Alici (Anchovy Syrup)
1/2 teaspoon IASA Hot Pepper in Olive Oil
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes (such as Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, Green Zebra, Black Cherry & Sunbursts)
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup pitted Italian olives, such as Taggiasca, halved if the olives are larger
1 tablespoon Marinated Capers in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Herbs from Caravaglio
Fleur de sel, for finishing (optional)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk the extra virgin olive oil, colatura, hot peppers and garlic together until emulsified. Set aside.

To prepare the tomatoes, cut them into varying shapes and sizes; slicing any larger tomatoes into thick slices, medium-sized tomatoes into wedges and cherry tomatoes (if using) in half.

To assemble the salad, arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on a large serving platter (don't worry about perfection here, this is a rustic salad!). Nestle and tuck the basil leaves among the tomatoes. Sprinkle the olives and capers over the tomatoes and basil. Spoon the reserved spicy colatura dressing over the whole salad. Finish with a light sprinkling of fleur de sel, if desired.