The Caprese salad recipe itself is soo simple. It needs only good quality products, it’s their taste that will make your dish, as you don’t have add-ons or sauces to cover the original flavors.
So, use the best Italian mozzarella (buffalo one is great, but cow’s milk ones are good too), fresh and mature tomatoes, some fresh basil leaves, salt and an excellent extra virgin olive oil.
I don’t even remember where I saw it served this way the first time, but I tried it immediately and it allows the flavours to mix a little bit more. If you prepare it right before eating, salt the tomato slices as you create the layers. If you’re preparing in advance, take care as salt would free the water from the tomatoes and maybe ruin the appearance of your dish. You can even try a variation (with a little bit more work) using cherry tomatoes cut in two with a piece of mozzarella in the middle. Kind of finger food 🙂
TIP #1: If you’re not going to eat it immediately, do not salt it, as tomatoes would let their water out;
TIP #2: Experts say you should not salt mozzarella, as it is already naturally salted;
TIP #3: If you buy fresh buffalo mozzarella and pretend to eat it the same day, do not put it into the refrigerator. Otherwise, take it out from the fridge a couple of hours before eating.
The tomato is a savory, typically red, edible fruit, as well as the plant (Solanum lycopersicum) which bears it. Originating in South America, it was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler climates. Source: Wikipedia
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- 4 tomatoes
- 2 Italian mozzarella
- fresh basil leaves
- salt
- 3 to 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Wash and clean the tomatoes, eliminating the leaves.
- Cut each one in slices and reserve. Do not use the bottom slice, as you need a flatter basis to lay the slices on.
- Cut each mozzarella in slices.
- Place the tomato slices alternating with mozzarella slices. Add a basil leaf at the top as decoration.
- Add salt and extra virgin olive oil.
- Buon appetito!
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