Sliced Tomato and Basil Salad

From Sarah Voiland, 2014: “This is how we made our tomato salads growing up. I wanted to clean up dinner those evenings just to sip the juice on the empty salad plate.”

3 ripe tomatoes sliced in big slabs – more colors, more fun 
1 bunch basil or a little less – chopped into ribbons
Olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Optional ingredients or variations: 1-2 cloves diced raw garlic, slivers of pearl onions or sweet onion, fresh mozzarella slices, crumbled feta or blue cheese, a dash of balsamic vinegar, or drizzles of balsamic vinegar reduction, halved cherry tomatoes

You slice the tomatoes in slices like you would put on a sandwich and then lay them out on a plate or platter. Sprinkle with basil. Add any additional ingredients like garlic. Drizzle with olive oil so each tomato gets some. Evenly salt and pepper the surfaces. Serve.