Recipe for Mediterranean-style carpaccio
They say that carpaccio originates from Italy. But what is certain is that it’s a dish which is to be found in all Mediterranean countries. That is to say, in those countries that follow the Mediterranean Diet , the healthiest dietary model in the world, the base of which revolves around olive oil
This dish is a very good aperitif and besides, is absolutley brilliant during hotter months. It’s nutritious and very natural and its flavours provide a real contrast for the palate.
Another of its great advantages is the preparation. In little more than 15 minutes, you have a splendid carpaccio to delight one and all. But now, let’s go straight to the ingredients and you’ll become familiar with it little by little.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 4 medium Raf tomatoes
- 100 gr Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic
- 20 gr fresh basil
- 30 gr pine kernels
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 4 cherry tomatoes (for decoration and totally optional)
Preparation
- Wash the tomatoes well. With a sharp knife, cut them into very thin slices, about 3mm Put the slices on a plate, season to taste and set aside.
- Put the slices of Parmesan , cut up finely like the tomatoes on a separate plate . It’s better not to add salt to the cheese because it’s already salted and has a very strong taste.
- Now, take the basil, the pine kernels and about 50g of cheese, put them all in a mortar and grind them. But be careful to leave small bits of all of the mixture. Season to your liking and mix everything with the best extra virgin olive oil. Add a bit of the ‘pesto’ sauce preparation to the tomato and place the slices of Parmesan cheese on top.
- If you want, you can add the cherry tomatoes to decorate the dish. If you have ‘pesto’ left over, you can put it into a sauce boat.
- Put it into the fridge for a few minutes to lower the temperature and it’s ready for serving.
The secret of this dish is in the ingredients. Each and every one of them must be of excellent quality. We advise you to use our extra virgin olive oil. Any of the four varieties is ideal to provide that natural touch you’re looking for.
As far as the tomatoes are concerned, we’ve chosen Raf. But don’t worry if you can’t find them in the market. You can equally use pink tomatoes which are easy to slice and have a superb taste as well. Good Raf tomatoes are not always in season.
As you can see, it’s a very nutritious dish and really healthy. Fantastic for hot days. A dish eaten in all of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean and which combines products from the sea and from the land.