Insalata Caprese

The summer season is when I truly crave Insalata Caprese (Capri-style Tomato & Mozzarella Salad) this dish because it reminds me of being in Italy during the summer time. Hot, arid days in Sicily bring out the best in Roma tomatoes, my favorite for this type of salad.You don’t need to be Italian to enjoy this incredibly flavorful salad, but you can feel like you’re on the Italian island of Capri (Caprese is the name to describe the island’s people or food) when you take a bite of it. Use only the freshest, seasonal, and organic ingredients for the best taste possible.

Serves 4　

Ingredients

• 4 Roma tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes
• fresh buffalo mozzarella (milk from the water buffalo, also known in Italian as ‘mozzarella di bufala‘), or any other fresh mozzarella you can find
• freshly picked basil, roughly chopped
• Kalamata olives (optional)
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt, to taste

Directions

Slice the tomatoes and the mozzarella to about ¼ inch thick. Place them in a circular fashion around your favorite plate.

Add the salt, sprinkle the basil and drizzle the olive oil just before serving.

Enjoy as an appetizer with freshly baked Italian bread or crostini.