STONE COLD DELICIOUS | Plums and nectarines will never be better than they are right now; croutons and mozzarella make this a meal. Linda Pugliese for The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Jamie Kimm, Prop Styling by Stephanie Hanes

The Chef: Stephanie Izard

Stephanie Izard Anthony Talhier



"IT'S SUMMER IN A BOWL," said Stephanie Izard. "Tomatoes and stone fruit go so well together." In her final Slow Food Fast contribution, Ms. Izard combines heirloom tomatoes with sliced plums and nectarines. Drizzled with a honeyed pistachio vinaigrette, the bright jumble tops milky rounds of mozzarella along with croutons still warm from the oven.

It's really a mashup of two of Italy's most beloved salads: the panzanella, made with day-old bread and tomatoes, and the caprese, composed of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Since all of these fruits are at their prime right now, finding spectacular ones won't be a problem. They should be firm and heavy with juice. Go ahead and smell them, too. The ripest will be fragrant with the sweetness and heady floral notes you pined for all winter.

When it comes to the mozzarella, don't simply settle for the first one you grab, either. A little manhandling may even be in order. "Mozzarella does sour," Ms. Izard warned. "When I go to the grocery store, I dig back until I find the one that's just been put out. A newly pulled ball is super tender." Squeeze until you're satisfied you've found it.

A truly fresh, supple mozzarella provides a creamy counterpoint to the fruits' acidity. "The idea to serve these things together is just spot-on," Ms. Izard said. The croutons not only lend the salad heft and crunch, but also sop up the tangy fruit juices that pool on the plate and meld with the nutty vinaigrette. Savor that summery surplus of flavor while you can.

—Kitty Greenwald

Tomato, Stone Fruit and Fresh Mozzarella Salad

Total Time: 15 minutes Serves: 4-6


1 cup roasted and salted pistachios, roughly chopped

Juice of 2 lemons

2 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2¼ cups roughly torn bread

1¼ pounds heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 ripe nectarine, cut into wedges

2 ripe plums, cut into wedges

10 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced into ¼-inch rounds

8 basil leaves, roughly chopped

What To Do

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together pistachios, lemon juice, honey and 4 tablespoons oil until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. Make croutons: Toss bread with remaining oil and season with salt. Spread croutons in a single layer on a baking tray and bake until golden, 12-15 minutes.

3. In a bowl, toss tomatoes with stone fruit and season with salt. Divide mozzarella slices among plates and season with salt and pepper. Top with fruit mixture, drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with basil and croutons. Serve immediately.