Perhaps one of the few good things about summer drawing to an end is the plentitude of fresh tomatoes and basil (I realize these things were available through most of summer, but now is the time to pick all of those delicious treats before the first frost sets in). There are so many delicious things you can do with these two basic ingredients (mmmmmm…bruschetta...), and one of my absolute favorites is a fresh mozzarella and tomato salad – or if we want to call it by it’s proper name, insalata caprese. It sure looks fancy, but it’s pretty basic (the ingredients that is, not the taste).
What you need:
- 1 lb mozzarella (my favorite supermarket brand is BelGioioso, which is available at costco!)
- 3 or 4 large tomatoes
- a handful of fresh basil leaves
- olive oil (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
- balsamic vinegar (about 1/2 cup)
- garlic salt to taste
What you need to do:
- Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella.
- Arrange the tomato slices, mozzarella and basil on a plate so they look pretty.
- Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top of the salad (it’s up to you how much you want to use).
- Sprinkle a little garlic salt on top.
- Salivate as you carry the salad to the dinner table.
- Dig in and enjoy!
A classic…definitely one of my favorite dishes of all time! I especially like how you made a little club sandwich with the tomato!
Thanks Eli. Speaking of sandwiches, just throw this stuff in between two slices of toasted italian or french bread and you have a DELICIOUS lunch waiting for you.