Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad, or Insalata Caprese in Italian, is a summer salad made with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. It is the perfect salad in summertime, with freshly harvested homegrown basil and tomatoes.

The recipe is from the island of Capri. It was invented in the 1950s at the Trattoria da Vincenzo. Regulars would order a just-picked tomato and some fresh fior di latte, or cow’s-milk mozzarella.

Traditionally, the dressing for Caprese salad was just a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Vinegar was believed to destroy the delicate flavor of the cheese and was never used. That said, you will find Caprese salads dressed with olive oil and Balsmaic vinegar in many American restaurants. I think it’s good both ways. If you’re a purist, just use olive oil.

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