Food 52

Rosie Birkett's Tomatoes With Ricotta, Hazelnuts, and Salsa Verde

Rosie Birkett writes: "This is my seasonal riff on the classic tricolore (caprese) salad, using ricotta (homemade if you have time—it’s so easy!) and a salsa verde or green sauce, which is one of my all-time favorites. I grew up in the Kent countryside, and gathering cobnuts—wild British hazelnuts that grow during the summer—with my father is one of my happiest childhood memories. I love how fresh and milky they are, and tend to add them to most dishes at this time of year. Their creamy crunch works really well with the fruity acidity of ripe tomatoes. Try and seek out some really fantastic, sweet tomatoes for this dish, as it will elevate it into something truly special. For the salsa verde, I like to use seasonal herbs and, where I can, wild greens from my local area of Walthamstow marshes—we have an abundance of wild fennel, arugula, sorrel, and jack-of the hedge at this time of year. But just mix it up according to what you have available. Any leftover green sauce can be stored in a jar and used for slathering on eggs."