Caprese Salad
Nothing is simpler or more delicious in the Italian cuisine than a fine Caprese Salad. Have you noticed that tomatoes at the market have now been grown to be totally flavorless? And if nothing else this salad requires the richness of fine tomatoes. So, I wait until tomato season when they are ripe, juicy and flavorful and find beautiful large beefsteak tomatoes, if you can get them farm fresh, generally at farmer’s markets or large heirlooms. Beefsteaks will yield more slices because of their shape. But, I’m telling you, it’s all about the tomatoes.
Next, you need a quality mozzarella and balsamic vinegar (See notes) and fresh basil (I grow my own, but whole plants are available at many markets.) Most all the recipes are similar but show it served on a platter, I take the restaurant route and individually plate it for each of my guests.
Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 2 to 4 large heirloom tomatoes - cut into ¼" slices
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese - conventional shaped (the largest of the shapes) (see note) cut into ¼" slices
- 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves - whole or I like to chiffonade (see note).
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the Balsamic Glaze
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar - See note.
- 1½ tablespoon agave - or 2 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients.
- Cut the large tomatoes into approximately ¼-inch slices. Use a serrated knife for the cleanest cuts.
- Cut the fresh mozzarella cheese into ¼-inch slices.
- Salt the sliced tomatoes generously with kosher salt and set aside.
- Whisk together the balsamic vinegar and agave or sugar in a small saucepan. Cook on medium low heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir occasionally as it cooks and don't leave it unattended because it can easily scorch.
- On each plate, layer a salted tomato, then one to two basil leaves, followed by a slice of mozzarella. Repeat once.
- Drizzle with the olive oil, and more salt and pepper.
- Drizzle the balsamic vinegar glaze over the top of the salad and serve immediately.
Notes
- Here is an article on the different types and sizes of mozzarella cheese:
- There are three basic grades of balsamic vinegar each with its own price point ranging from rather inexpensive commercial grades that you find at your market which tend to be thin and more acidic and are best used in cooked dishes, to the finer traditional grades that you can find in upscale markets and specialty stores. These are aged which give them a sweeter, syrupier consistency. They are quite a bit more expensive but worth it when using it drizzled on dishes. The best come from Modena, Italy.
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- Here you can read more about the three grades:
- Here is another list of the best: