Insalata Caprese

Tomato season makes it so easy to assemble crowd-pleasing salads. The colors are dazzling and the flavors are bright.

This simple salad from Capri is one to make at the height of tomato season with very fresh tomatoes. The success of the salad is dependent on the freshness of its few ingredients. This fresh ingredients include mozzarella — fresh mozzarella, not the aged kind that goes on pizza. Same for the basil: fresh basil from the garden, not the dried version.

This is a five-minute salad — quick and fun to assemble. You could even have the kids put it together!

When planning for the ingredients, figure 3 tomato slices and 2 cheese slices per person. If this Caprese Salad is to be the basis of a meal, like lunch, then double the amounts. Serve the salad with crusty sourdough and lots of butter. Oh my! Instant gourmet!

Insalata Caprese Ingredients

• Sliced heirloom tomatoes (I used Japanese Black Trifele in this one.)
• Sliced fresh mozzarella
• Freshly torn basil leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil, the finest you can manage
• Sea salt

  Insalata Caprese Steps

  1. Layer the tomato slices with the cheese slices. Individual plates or one large platter…it all works.
  2. Tuck in the basil leaves.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and serve.

  What could be easier? Assemble this salad just before serving. If it sits too long, the tomato begins to get soggy. It still tastes fine, but the texture gets lost.

  You will find yourself playing with this salad through tomato season. Try different dressings and toppings. You cannot go wrong but this recipe is the original Insalata Caprese as served in Capri. Enjoy!

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