Caprese is Italian cuisine at its most relaxed: a handful of ingredients, no cooking required, and plenty of flavor. Perfect as an appetizer, side dish, or light lunch, this summer classic proves one important thing: when the ingredients are really good, doing too much is almost a crime.
Take the mozzarella out of the refrigerator at least one hour before preparing the Caprese and let it rest in its liquid at room temperature. This allows it to develop more flavor and gives it a better texture.
Meanwhile, choose tomatoes that are roughly the same size as the mozzarella. This way, when you alternate the slices, the final presentation will look nice and balanced.
Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and dry them well. Cut them into even slices, not too thin, about half a centimeter thick, using a sharp knife.
Arrange the slices on a plate or cutting board and add a pinch of salt. Don't go overboard: the mozzarella will already bring some saltiness to the dish.
Drain the mozzarella and cut it into slices about the same thickness as the tomatoes.
If it releases a lot of liquid, let the slices drain for a few minutes, then gently pat them dry with paper towels. The goal is to keep your plate from turning into a tiny swimming pool.
Now comes the easiest part, and also the most photogenic.
Arrange the slices on a plate, alternating one slice of tomato with one slice of mozzarella until you've used everything. You can line them up, arrange them in a fan, or create a circle. No geometry degree required, just make it look good to you.
Add a few leaves of fresh basil, tucking them between the tomato and mozzarella slices.
Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and, if you like, add a light sprinkle of dried oregano.
Taste before adding any extra salt: the mozzarella may already be salty enough.
Your Insalata Caprese is ready.
Serve it as soon as it's prepared, preferably at room temperature, so the tomatoes and mozzarella can show off their best flavor.
Servings 4
* La percentuale dei valori giornalieri si basa su una dieta di 2000 calorie. I tuoi valori giornalieri potrebbero variare in base al tuo fabbisogno calorico.
Caprese is at its best when freshly prepared, so it's best enjoyed right away.
The quality of the ingredients really matters: choose ripe, flavorful tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and good extra virgin olive oil.
Add the basil just before serving so it keeps its aroma and color as well as possible.