Caprese Salad or Insalata Caprese is one of the easiest most delicious things you can make in the summer. It is one of the reasons I get my happy face when the first local tomatoes arrive at the farm stands and farmers' markets, because a good Caprese salad requires two ingredients that in my opinion only summer can truly provide: local sun ripened tomatoes picked straight off the vine, and freshly picked basil leaves. Yes, you need decent mozzarella and good olive oil, but without juicy ripe tomatoes and fragrant basil, it's really not a true Caprese!
AuthorAnn Ogden GaffneyMake the salad: Arrange the tomato pieces around the outside of a plate or platter, overlapping as you go. Do the same with the mozzarella slices, slightly overlapping the tomatoes.
slice the mozzarella ball into 8 slices. Reserve the rounded ends to go in the very center. Set aside
Prep the tomatoes: With a sharp paring knife, cut away the hard area around the stem ends of the tomatoes, especially if using beefsteak tomatoes. You will cut out a cone of hard tomato. Discard. Slice the prepared tomatoes until you have around 16 medium-thick slices.
Make the salad: Arrange the tomato pieces around the outside of a plate or platter, overlapping as you go. Do the same with the mozzarella slices, slightly overlapping the tomatoes. Place the rounded ends in the very center of the dish. Tuck 2 tablespoons of torn basil under the tomato slices and sprinkle the rest over the mozzarella. Drizzle with the Extravirgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Serve 2 slices of tomato with 1 slice mozzarella.
You can also overlap the mozzarella and tomatoes together which is more traditional.
Ingredients
Directions
slice the mozzarella ball into 8 slices. Reserve the rounded ends to go in the very center. Set aside
Prep the tomatoes: With a sharp paring knife, cut away the hard area around the stem ends of the tomatoes, especially if using beefsteak tomatoes. You will cut out a cone of hard tomato. Discard. Slice the prepared tomatoes until you have around 16 medium-thick slices.
Make the salad: Arrange the tomato pieces around the outside of a plate or platter, overlapping as you go. Do the same with the mozzarella slices, slightly overlapping the tomatoes. Place the rounded ends in the very center of the dish. Tuck 2 tablespoons of torn basil under the tomato slices and sprinkle the rest over the mozzarella. Drizzle with the Extravirgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Serve 2 slices of tomato with 1 slice mozzarella.
You can also overlap the mozzarella and tomatoes together which is more traditional.
