Caprese Salad
Every summer, we take a family vacation sailing around the Mediterranean for a couple of weeks, and inevitably, we visit the incredibly beautiful island of Capri, in the Bay of Napoli. The people of Capri have coopted the classic tri-colore combination of tomato, mozzarella, and basil and called it their own: if these three ingredients define a salad, it’s called Caprese. Lucky for them!
Caprese Salad
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INGREDIENTS:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from about 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 pounds assorted tomatoes such as regular vine-ripened tomatoes, plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and yellow teardrop tomatoes
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese drained and sliced
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil leaves
INSTRUCTIONS:
- This recipe originally appeared in Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis, Clarkson Potter, 2005.
- Whisk the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil to blend.
- Cut the regular tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices and the plum tomatoes into wedges. Cut the cherry, grape, and teardrop tomatoes in half.
- Arrange the tomatoes and cheese on a platter. Drizzle the dressing over. Sprinkle with basil and additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson
I plated this around a bed a finely chopped kale and topped it with the chicken from the CHICKEN SPIEDINI recipe. It was delicious! A definite have again. Fresh and summery.