Caprese Salad
Slices of mozzarella, tomato and basil with olive oil, salt and a grind of pepper. Three ingredients, no negotiation, named for the island of Capri. The colours of the Italian flag (rosso, bianco, verde) on a plate. Lives or dies on tomato quality.
Overview
Ripe summer tomatoes and good buffalo mozzarella alternate in a row, with whole basil leaves between. A heavy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, flaky salt, freshly ground pepper. That's it. Optional balsamic if you must, but the original doesn't have any.
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoes (large, a mix of colours if you can - yellow, beefsteak, plum)
- 250 g buffalo mozzarella (drained, ideally fresh-from-the-deli)
- A small bunch of fresh basil (whole leaves)
- 4 tablespoons excellent extra virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Optional
- A drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar (purists scoff)
Method
Stage 1 - Slice
- Slice the tomatoes about 1 cm thick.
- Slice or tear the mozzarella into similar-sized pieces.
Stage 2 - Arrange
- On a serving platter, alternate slices of tomato and mozzarella in a row, slightly overlapping.
- Tuck whole basil leaves between every other piece.
Stage 3 - Dress
- Drizzle generously with olive oil.
- Sprinkle flaky salt over both the tomato and mozzarella.
- Grind black pepper across.
- Drizzle with balsamic if using.
Stage 4 - Serve
- Eat at room temperature; cold mozzarella has muted flavour.
- Crusty bread alongside to mop the juices.
Notes
- Ripe tomatoes only: Out-of-season pale tomatoes give a sad caprese. If yours aren't great, skip until summer.
- Buffalo mozzarella > cow's milk: Richer, creamier, more pronounced flavour. The cow's milk version (fior di latte) works but isn't quite the same.
- Salt the tomatoes too: They need their own seasoning; don't just salt the cheese.
- No balsamic glaze, please: The dish is meant to be about good ingredients. Sweet, syrupy balsamic glaze hides them.
Storage
- Doesn't keep. Eat assembled.
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