Caprese:ITALY
From Campania. This salad is named after the island of Capri, in the Gulf of Naples, near Sorrento.
Versions of this dish can be now be found in “Italian” restaurants all over the world. It is extremely simple, just “mozzarella”, tomatoes and good extra virgin olive oil.
As always, the quality of the ingredients is very important. First the “mozzarella”. The name should technically be reserved for buffalo milk cheese. Cows milk cheese is known as “fior di latte”.
The milk used is not as important as the freshness. Most people here insist on eating it on the day it is made. Mozzarella made the day before is only good for pizza. Slice into fairly thin slices, about half a centimeter.Next, the tomatoes. Again, use the best you can find. Try to find them about the same size as the cheese.
This makes the presentation nicer. Slice crossways into slices of about the same size as the cheese.Arrange them on a plate, alternating the tomato and mozzarella. Add a generous amount of fresh basil and drizzle with olive oil. You can season with a little salt if you like.
The salad will taste much better if you serve it at room temperature, not straight from the fridge. Unlike most salads in Italy, this is served as a main course, rather than a side dish.