Caprese salad: classic recipe

Caprese salad or L’insalata caprese is an Italian salad that is easy to prepare and has a perfect combination of flavors. Therefore, to make the recipe you will need fresh mozzarella (discover some delicious recipes with mozzarella), tomatoes, basil, oregano, olive oil and salt.

Furthermore, the preparation time is just 20 minutes and yields 6 servings per recipe and is delicious. So, check out the step-by-step guide for caprese salad below.

Caprese Salad Recipe

Ingredients for the salad:

• 1 kg of buffalo mozzarella
• 5 tomatoes
• 6 basil leaves, washed
• Olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste

Ingredient for pesto sauce

• 2 cups of fresh basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons chopped pine nuts or shelled walnuts
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1/2 cup (tea) olive oil
• Black pepper to taste

Preparation Mode

1. First, prepare the salad, to do this start by cutting the mozzarella into thick slices, approximately 0.5 cm.
2. Place in a bowl and season with salt and olive oil, mix gently with a spoon. Reserve.
3. In the same way, cut the tomatoes into 0.5 cm slices.
4. Then, place the tomato in the pasta colander and season with a pinch of salt and using your hands, mix and leave to drain.
5. Next, prepare the sauce, start by washing the basil leaves.
6. Peel the garlic cloves and place them in a food processor or blender and add the other ingredients for the pesto sauce. Then, beat until you get a homogeneous mass.
7. Place the sauce in a sterilized jar.
8. Finally, assemble the salad on plates or a platter.
9. Make a stack alternating 4 slices of tomato with 4 slices of mozzarella.
10. Between the slices, spread some pesto sauce.
11. Finally, decorate with the basil leaves and then serve with the sauce on the side.

Tips for preparing caprese salad

1. Caprese salad can be served both as a starter and as a side dish during the meal.
2. It can be served as an accompaniment to some type of meat (preparation tips) and white rice (tricks to avoid making mistakes when preparing it).
3. Additionally, you can vary when cutting the ingredients for the caprese salad. This way, cut the tomato into 8 wedges, discarding the lid. Just cut in a cross and then in an X.
4. Cut the mozzarella in half and then cut each half into 3 wedges.
5. You can replace the buffalo mozzarella with cow’s mozzarella, the important thing is that it is very fresh so as not to alter the flavor of the salad.
6. Yellow mozzarella, usually sliced, is not suitable for this recipe.
7. In the classic recipe, the Italian tomato Re Umberto or Re Fascone is used, which are grown in the Campania region, Italy. However, it is possible to use other varieties of tomatoes (learn how to make homemade sauce), riper or greener. The greener ones are more acidic, which helps balance the fat in the mozzarella.
8. You must prepare the caprese salad when you are going to serve it, this way you avoid releasing water, as the ideal is to serve it very cold.
9. Finally, a curious fact about caprese salad is that the recipe has its Italian origins, it is a specialty of the island of Capri, Campania region, in Italy, where it is served as a starter.

So, if you liked this recipe (via: Recipes Globo) and want to know more quick recipe tips, read also: Lettuce salad: 13 delicious and quick recipes to get out of your routine.