Tomato and mozzarella salad

Ingredients

1 pound firm, ripe tomatoes, sliced
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese (the "in the water" and salted variety works best in this recipe), sliced approx. 1/4 inch per slice
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons each fresh parsley and fresh basil (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
Black olives (optional)
Sugar (pinch)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Arrange the tomato slices in an overlapping circular pattern around a flat serving dish. Sprinkle the herbs and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Cover the dish loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour (but no longer than 2 hours, because the tomatoes will get "runny"). Slice the cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Just before serving, remove the plastic wrap, arrange the cheese slices in the center of the tomatoes and scatter the olives over the top. Dress the salad with the olive oil, using a fork if necessary to life the tomato slices, assuring that the oil drains through them. (The salad can be refrigerated, dressed, for 15 to 30 minutes at this stage without losing color or becoming limp.)

Serves 4 to 6.