Caprese Salad: a taste of the summer
Hello all! It is sunny and warm here in England and summer has finally arrived! I have been digging out t-shirts and shorts which were stuck at the bottom of my wardrobe. The last few years we have been having awful summers and I hardly used my summer clothes in the UK. Maybe this year we might have some decent weather for a change?!
Today it was the perfect weather for a fresh and tasty insalata Caprese which is native of Capri from which it takes its name.
This salad with the colours of the Italian flag, is simply made of tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil, oregano and olive oil and it is one of the perfect summer recipes. It is essential though to use the best ingredients you can afford. The tomatoes must be ripe , beef tomatoes are usually quite good and the mozzarella and olive oil must be of good quality too. Italian cooking is very simple and often uses very few ingredients that's why it is essential for them to be of good quality: little and simple ingredients for maximum flavour!
You can make this as a starter or just as a main to be enjoyed with some rustic bread and a good glass of red wine...of course 🙂
- Prep Time : 15 minutes
Ingredients
- beef tomato - 1
- basil leaves - 10
- buffalo mozzarella - 1
- oregano - 1 tbsp
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
Instructions
Wash and slice the tomatoes 1/2 centimeter thick
Now slice the mozzarella and wash the basil leafs
Season the tomatoes slices with salt and pepper, a sprinkle of oregano and a dash of olive oil then put a slice of mozzarella on top and a couple of basil leafs, then continue until you finish all the ingredients
Garnish with some basil and a sprinkle of olive oil and that's it! Easy.
Also, as I am using basil leafs for this recipe, I am entering it into Herbs on a Saturday and June's challenge is hosted by Karen herself on Lavender & Lovage.
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I love Caprese salad and this look absolutely delicious!!
Thank you Gloria!
This is such a beautiful presentation, Alida! I love the way you’ve stacked the ingredients together… And I recently read that the only way to truly have a delicious caprese salad is to use real buffalo mozzarella. This seems true because most of the mozzarella cheese I’ve tasted is like plastic 😉
Yes it is often like that and it is a cheap version of the real mozzarella. Buffalo one isn’t cheap and it can be considered a treat! The proper one has a very white colour with a thick “skin” and it just melts in your mouth.. yum!
One of my favourite Italian salads, Alida.
So fresh and easy to make!
I agree Alida, it must be buffalo mozzarella or it isn’t worth it! Such a simple salad, yet there are so many gorgeous flavours. Yum!
Thank you Lisa 🙂
FABULOUS Alida! I love Caprese salads and the way you have made little stacks is so imaginative and interesting! Karen
Che bontà la caprese, un piatto molto estivo e fresco, la presentazione a “torretta” è stupenda, brava! Un abbraccio!
This is one of my all time favourite summer starters. Especially with a good quality mozzarella, it’s to die for!!