Name: Winter Caprese Salad
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients: 12 plum tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half; 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 cloves garlic; 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; 6 cups fresh basil leaves, plus a few leaves for garnish; 4 tablespoons pine nuts; 8 large bocconcini (from buffalo mozzarella) or 2 pounds buffalo mozzarella, cut into quarters

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Winter Caprese SaladPatrick Decker

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are adapted from Molto Italiano by Mario Batali. It's part of a special menu created by Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Insalata Caprese Invernale

I love this winter version of the Neapolitan classic because it is very easy to do, and the slow-roasted tomatoes are better than any regular tomatoes for all but about three months of the year. The extra pesto keeps well in the fridge for two weeks, provided you cover the top with a half-inch of extra-virgin olive oil.

Recipe notes

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This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

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