Antipasto Salad With Basil Dressing

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 large red bell peppers
• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaf
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lb thinly sliced prosciutto
• 2 (8 ounce) water-packed fresh mozzarella cheese, drained,thinly sliced into rounds
• 4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives or 1/4 cup other brine-cured black olives, pitted,coarsely chopped

Recipe

• 1 char peppers directly over gas flame or under broiler until blackened on all sides.
• 2 enclose in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes.
• 3 peel, seed, and slice peppers thinly.
• 4 combine basil leaves, garlic, and salt in processor and blend to coarse puree.
• 5 with machine running, gradually blend in oil.
• 6 transfer basil oil to small bowl.
• 7 (peppers and basil oil can be made 1 day ahead. cover separately and chill.) arrange ingredients on a large platter or in a large, shallow bowl, i.
• 8 e.
• 9 ,prosciutto around outside, cheese slices within circle of prosciutto and tomatoes within circle of cheese, top with pepper strips (or however you think it will look better).
• 10 sprinkle salad with olives; drizzle with some basil oil.
• 11 serve with remaining basil oil at table.