Bring a deep saucepan of water to the boil and salt it lightly. Meanwhile, make a dressing. Pick 15g of basil leaves and put them into a blender with 60ml of olive oil. Grind in a little pepper and salt, then pour in 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar. Process to a smooth, thick green dressing. You need be able to pour it. If it is too thick, add a little warm water. Taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary.
Trim 100g of greens (cima di rapa, or spinach) removing any coarse or stringy stalks or less than perfect leaves. Wash the leaves, then, when the pan of water is boiling, dunk the leaves and stems into the water and leave for a minute – two if the stalks are thicker.
Drain the blanched greens, making sure they are almost dry, then put them in a mixing bowl and toss them, while they are still warm, in the basil dressing.
Slice 400g of tomatoes quite thinly and add them to the greens, tossing them gently so they, too, are lightly covered with the basil dressing.
Divide the tomatoes and leaves between 2 plates. Place a burrata or mozzarella on each and tease it open to reveal the soft centre. Trickle any of the dressing that remains in the bowl over the cheese and eat immediately. Enough for 2. Ready in 20 minutes
Mozzarella or burrata both work here, but burrata will have a softer texture, the molten cheese blending deliciously with the basil sauce.
Use any greens you like – ones that will work well include long-stemmed broccoli or the purple sprouting kind, cavolo nero, or mustard greens.
You could pile everything on to slices of toasted focaccia. Make sure to moisten the pieces of toast with a little olive oil while it is still hot and then layer up the dressed greens, tomatoes and finally the cheese.
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