Caprese Salad (Print View)
Ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil drizzled with olive oil and balsamic for a bright Italian starter.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables & Dairy
01 - 3 large ripe tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
02 - 8.8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
03 - 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves
→ Dressing
04 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze (optional)
06 - Sea salt, to taste
07 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Place alternating slices of tomato and mozzarella on a large serving platter, slightly overlapping each piece in a curved or straight line pattern.
02 - Tuck whole basil leaves between the tomato and mozzarella slices, allowing them to peek out naturally.
03 - Generously drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the entire arrangement. Add balsamic glaze in a thin stream if desired.
04 - Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately as a starter or side dish.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It takes ten minutes from fridge to table and looks like it came from a trattoria in Naples.
- When tomatoes are truly in season, this combination of flavors needs almost nothing else to shine.
02 -
- Cold tomatoes straight from the refrigerator will taste flat, so let them sit at room temperature for at least thirty minutes first.
- Pre slicing the mozzarella and letting it weep on paper towels prevents a watery puddle on your platter.
03 -
- A serrated knife glides through tomato skins without squishing the flesh, giving you cleaner, prettier slices.
- Tearing basil by hand instead of cutting it with a knife keeps the edges from turning black so quickly.