Green, White & Red Salad

17 March 2011 marks the 150th year of Italy as a united country.  In commemoration to this, my husband, my son & I each have our designated assignments.  My husband prepped our son about the country and its unification as requested by his teacher.  My son made an Italian flag.  While I prepared the most classic of all Italian dishes - the tomatoes, greens (arugula, lettuce or basil) & mozzarella salad.  The three colors of Italy.  Green, white & red. 

Preparing this plate is very easy.  Put together the mozzarella, tomatoes & basil, arugula or any other kind of salad.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil & sprinkle with salt.  I have a penchant for datterini tomatoes for their intense sweetness & flavour so I suggest using them if you find them.  They cost more than the other types of tomatoes but they are worth every single cent that you added.  Another kind that's good is the vesuvian.  They are grown in the area of Mount Vesuvius in Naples and have a high concentration of minerals from the volcanic soil.  And of course the pachino cherry tomatoes from Sicily, valued for their sweetness & intense flavour too.

Vesuvian tomatoes with mozzarella  basil.

Daterini tomatoes with lettuce & mozzarella.