The Colors of Italy are in a Caprese Salad

Recently I plucked my recipe for Grilled Pork and Potato Skewers from the ensemble collection of a six-course supper with an Italian Flare. The original ensemble offered two beautiful menus, and the Grilled Pork was part of the first collection of recipes.

Six-Course Italian Flair
Antipasto: Antipasto Platter
Primo: Simple Linguine with Garlic Butter
Secondo and Contorno: Vesuvio Grilled Pork and Potato Skewers with Pan-Seared Asparagus
Insalata: Caprese Salad (Today’s beautiful feature)
Formaggi e Frutta: Selection of Cheese and Fruits (can we talk?)
Dolce: Lemon Tiramisu (Coming soon all on its own – promise!)

Most of those have been featured independently of the collection. I am a firm believer that supporting character deserves a solo appearance. While this isn’t the first time I have shared a recipe for a Caprese Salad with you (see my share Ode to the Salad for all sorts of wonderful salad ideas), it has never been allowed to strut across the dining stage all on its own. This really is a shame. Not only is a Caprese Salad delicious, it can be served in a variety of creative presentations. But then, I’m getting ahead of myself. Lets’s start with a basic salad and go from there . . .

A Caprese Salad has to be one of the easiest salads on the planet to make in terms of ingredients. Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Italian Basil, a little olive oil, and a pinch of salt. That’s it – everything else from the cracked pepper to a swirl of balsamic vinegar is optional window dressing.

Do you ever wonder how something came to be? I do, all the time. Like so many non-signature dishes out there, the history of the Caprese Salad is one of speculation. Some claim it was the invention of an Italian Patriot. At the end of World War I, to express his love of country he enclosed the colors of Italy inside a fragrant bun. When you look at an Italian Flag, you can see how the red of the tomatoes, the white of the cheese and the green of the basil are a perfect culinary expression of the flag. The first appearance of Caprese anything on a menu appeared in 1924, after Fillippo Tommaso Marinetti, the founder of Futurism, raged against pasta, calling it “outdated.” Hum, over 90 years later, and we’re still enjoying our pasta. So much for outdated.

Anyway, a few decades later, King Farouk of Egypt found himself exiled and spent time in Rome. The King requested something light as an afternoon appetizer and was presented a sandwich featuring the colors of Italy. While the exact date or circumstance of the Caprese might never be known, it is clear that the Caprese is an invention of the twentieth century. What is even more of a mystery is how something served as a filler for a sandwich managed to move to outside the bun and onto the plate in the form of a salad. While everyone has their own rendition of a Caprese Salad, there are a few basic guidelines to insure a good Caprese.

• The Mozzarella should be as fresh as possible. Buffalo Mozzarella, if available, is the preferred creamier choice. The balls should match the size of the tomato for that balance of tomato to Mozzarella ratio. This is important in both appearance and taste.
• The Tomatoes should be bright and deep in color. They must be ripe without being overly ripe or soft. The texture of the tomato is an important element in the salad.
• The Basil should ALWAYS be broken by hand and not by the blade of a knife. Why? Plucking the leaves by hand and if desired tearing them retains the flavor of the basil. Basil can sometimes pick up flavors, including metal tastes if cut with a metal knife.

Now there are those Caprese snobs who will tell you NEVER serve Caprese with bread, as the perfection of its ingredients should never be hidden. Those same snobs will tolerate a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of finishing salt, but no more.

I’ve got to say, all those “what else are you doing wrong” lectures out there make me just a little nuts. And this coming from a woman who embraces all the pomp and circumstance of the Victorian and Edwardian periods. I think it’s important to have the knowledge, to grasp the reasons behind things, but what you do with that is entirely up to you. Judge not the food habits of others, that’s what I say. If you want chocolate sauce on your spaghetti, who are we to judge? Or better yet, how you order your Cincinnati Chili is up to you. One-way, two-way, three-way . . . you get the idea. If you were to ask Hubby, his would be “no way”, while mine would be five-way. My point is, there is no such thing as a wrong way, but more a question of how many ways you are willing to try.

Wow, talk about taking a side trip!! Let’s get back on topic, shall we?

Caprese Salad
3 or 4 tomatoes, good quality, such as heirloom
12 ounces Mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 bunch fresh Italian Basil (DO NOT substitute with dried)
Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Drizzle Balsamic Vinegar (Optional if desired)
Pinch of finishing salt
Fresh Black Pepper (Optional if desired)

Slice the tomatoes into about 3/8″ thick slices, then slice the mozzarella into the same sized slices.

Arrange the tomato and mozzarella slices into a pleasing pattern on a platter or individual plates. Tuck basil leaves into the arrangement, with a few more in the center.

Drizzle with olive oil, a little balsamic vinegar (if desired) and season with salt. Fresh cracked pepper brings a little extra flavor and color. It’s a personal thing.

You could always add complimenting ingredients such as green olives or a garnish of capers. A Caprese Salad might have the same basic ingredients, but what you do with those ingredients is entirely up to you.

Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen

I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures. View all posts by Rosemarie's Kitchen