My whole family loves Insalata Caprese, a simple tomato and mozzarella salad. We first enjoyed it while stationed in Vicenza, Italy. It makes for a delicious, light and easy meal. Perfect for brunch. Or maybe even a tea party. Come on, I’ll show ya how to make it.
Put on your apron! Gather up some big, beautiful red tomatoes. Grab a big ol’ hunk of mozzarella cheese, the soft and squishy kind that comes in a ball. Get some olive oil and red wine vinegar. Put it in some cute little vintage oil and vinegar dispensers if you like. And you’ll also need some parsley and Italian seasoning. You’ll notice that I went all out and broke the grocery budget with expensive and fancy brands. OK, not really. I just went to the Wal-Mart. To make up for your generic brand groceries, get out your prettiest platter.
Everything tastes better on some pretty burgundy china. Now slice the tomatoes up. Make them a little on the thick side. And place a single layer of them on a platter.
Next, cut up the mozzarella into some thick, chunky slices. Doesn’t it look just like butter? It almost tastes like butter. It incredibly smooth and creamy. And it practically melts in your mouth.
Put a slice of cheese on top of each tomato. Then drizzle olive oil over everything. Don’t be shy. Don’t be afraid to drown the tomatoes in the olive oil.
Next, drizzle some red wine vinegar over everything. I just have to say- I love setting a pretty table. Fancy china. A nice tablecloth. It takes a simple meal and turns it into something special. A vintage Wilendur tablecloth will make anything taste better. You should try it some time. Go ahead. Spoil yourself a little.
Then sprinkle everything generously with parsley and Italian seasoning. You can plop a few Kalmata olives on there too if you like. Stick it in the refrigerator for a bit to chill it and to let the flavors all mingle together for a bit. Doesn’t this look just lovely?
You can substitute Insalata Caprese for your typical tossed salad. Or you can make a meal of it all by itself. It makes a wonderful brunch. Which is how we served it. It goes well with Cucumber and Onion Salad, cantaloupe melon slices with slivers of prosciutto and focaccia bread. And don’t forget a tall ice cold glass of sweet tea to wash it all down with.
Buon apetito!
Guest post by The Apron Queen herself, a mom of 3 children and wife to paratrooper. You can find her blogging about Texas life at Confessions of an Apron Queen and see her very cool vintage aprons at Rick Rack Attack!
source : My Wooden Spoon
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