Pat the mozzarella dry with paper towels and let it sit for 5 minutes. Slice both the mozzarella and tomatoes into ¼-inch rounds using a sharp knife for even layering.
8 oz fresh mozzarella, 3 medium tomatoes
Arrange tomato slices on a serving plate in a single layer, slightly overlapping each piece. Place one mozzarella slice on top of each tomato maintaining the overlapping pattern.
8 oz fresh mozzarella, 3 medium tomatoes
Tuck fresh basil leaves between the tomato and cheese layers or scatter them on top. Using whole leaves gives a cleaner look while torn leaves prevent browning if assembled early.
12-15 leaves fresh basil
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil evenly over the arranged layers, using about 3 tablespoons total. Follow with 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, focusing the drizzle over the cheese rather than pooling on the plate.
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Season with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper right before serving to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
flaky sea salt, black pepper
