Insalata Caprese

Tomato overload!

Insalata Caprese means "Capri-style Salad" and is from the Campania region of Italy. The name sounds a bit fancy schmancy, but it is actually one of the simplest salads I have prepared. Personally, I love basil, I love grape tomatoes, and I love mozzarella. So this dish is like the "ultimate" salad for me. I could eat this everyday! 

On a side note, I couldn't even begin to tell you how happy I am to have a "mini" herb garden. Gone are the days of buying a $4.00 pack of herbs and only using a few sprigs of it. Now, all I do is go to my garden and snip a few leaves. It is awesome! 

So I got the basil for this recipe from my herb garden. I couldn't say the same for the tomatoes - my two tomato plants died from the winter freeze last year. What do you think about getting a buffalo for my mozzarella in the future? Psyche!


What you need: 

8 oz fresh mozzarella
about 6 to 8 leaves of basil, julienned
4 oz grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

 
What to do: 

Make sure the veggies are washed and clean. 

Slice the fresh mozzarella into 1" squares. Place them on a dish. Add the halved tomatoes and julienned basil. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Easy peasy. 


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. You can use other tomato varieties! In fact, most recipes call for a larger variety like Roma or plum tomatoes. I opted for grape tomatoes because they are my favorite!
2. Some people like it with a splash of balsamic vinegar. 
3. Eat with crusty bread! Yummy!