International dishesSaladsEurope and North America10 minutes
Caprese salad with tomato and mozzarella takes 10 minutes and never goes near the stove. Slices of ripe tomato are layered with fresh mozzarella, then finished with basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a light starter.
The hard part is the shopping, since dull tomatoes or dry cheese flatten the whole plate. Keep the tomatoes at room temperature, as the fridge strips their aroma. Add the oil and vinegar just before serving, because dressing them early draws out juice and thins the plate.
This batch weighs about 485g, at roughly 144 calories per 100g.
Method
Wash 3 large ripe tomatoes and cut them into even slices. Cut 125g fresh mozzarella into slices of the same thickness.
Arrange the tomato and cheese slices in overlapping rows on a plate.
Scatter 15g fresh basil leaves over the top.
Season with salt and ground black pepper, then drizzle over 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
Serve as soon as it is dressed.
Tips
Choose fresh mozzarella still sitting in brine, which is softer and milkier than the dry grating kind.
Salting the tomato slices and leaving them for 2 minutes brings the flavor up noticeably.
With no balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar with a pinch of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend gives a close sweet and sour note.
Vietnamese basil stands in for the western kind, though its scent is stronger, so use less.
Dipping the knife in warm water gives a clean cut and keeps the mozzarella slices whole.
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