Marinated Mozzarella with Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

At this point, I have made literally hundreds of breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snack recipes…this is going to be recipe #785 (literally!) on this blog, and there are a whole lot more waiting in line for me to share with you.  But out of those hundreds and hundreds, there are a few that stand out in my memory and heart not only for the deliciousness but also for the happy memories.  My grandmother’s molasses cookies (one for each hand!), the lemon chicken pasta we made with friends on a fun snowy weekend, and this marinated mozzarella.  My mama has been making this on warm lazy summer afternoons for as long as I can remember, and if you ask any of my best friends what their favorite recipe from my mother’s kitchen is, I can almost promise they will all say in unison, “her marinated mozzarella with basil and sun-dried tomatoes!”

It’s a creamy, luscious concoction of creamy sliced mozzarella that has been bathed in olive oil and handfuls of fresh herbs, chopped sundried tomatoes, garlic and just a teeny bit of red pepper.   The herbs include fresh parsley, fresh chives, and fresh this…

Basil.  The official herb of summer.

And while I am discussing ingredients, if any of you out there live near Secaucus, New Jersey, I have to give a shout-out to Vito’s Bakery, where they make The Best Mozzarella In The Entire World.  Creamy, dreamy, perfect, melt in your mouth mozzarella.  Save some for me.

Back in my mom’s kitchen, she lets the cheese sit in this glorious marinade for about two hours, and just about the time that folks are getting hungry, she brings it out with a basket full of soft sliced Italian bread, which is perfect for slathering on not only the cheese but also mopping up that crazily good marinade.  Because when it comes to this particular recipe, it is impossible to leave one single morsel behind.

Right, all my friends who have ever been to my mom’s house on a marinated mozzarella day?

Marinated Mozzarella with Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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• Yield: 8 appetizer servings

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Ingredients

• 1 pound chilled mozzarella (you want it chilled so it is easier to cut)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons each chopped fresh parsley, chives and basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes
• Extra whole basil leaves for garnish
• Sliced Italian bread for serving

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Instructions

1. Arrange overlapping slices of cheese in a shallow serving dish.
2. Stir oil, herbs and tomatoes together and drizzle over cheese.
3. Cover cheese with plastic wrap and let it marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.
4. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with sliced Italian bread.