Capri Party Salad

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
   
2. Slice or tear the bread into 1 1/2 inch pieces. (Tearing it will give it a more ‘rustic’ look.) Spread the pieces out evenly on a cookie sheet.
   
3. Drizzle lightly with oil, and place in the oven until very lightly toasted.
   
4. While the bread is toasting, cut each of the tomatoes and bocconcini in half. Place in a large bowl. Cut or tear as much fresh basil as you like, and toss with the tomatoes and cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. (I use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.)
5. Remove bread from oven and set aside.The pieces should be dry and light brown -don’t let them get dark brown and too crispy!
   
6. Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and a few splashes of vinegar to taste. If you are serving immediately, toss the bread pieces with the tomato mixture and eat up! If you are taking it to a party or serving it later, cover the tomato mixture and refrigerate. Place the bread pieces in an air-tight container or wrap in foil. Just before the salad is served, toss the bread with the tomato mixture until the juices are evenly distributed over the bread.

Tips: Try using fresh broccoli, steamed then cooled, instead of basil. Vegan? Use marinated or smoked tofu chunks instead of cheese. For a super fancy presentation, hollow out a bread loaf, and toss the salad inside the crust! Experiment with different kinds of tomatoes, mozzarella, and vinegars. No matter what you use, it’s always going to be yummy…