Caprese

Variations of the caprese salad pop up in dinners I serve, or in spreads at parties I throw. You can pretty much do anything with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil and make it into something caprese. Here are a few examples:

Traditional Caprese Salad

INGREDIENTS
2 beefsteak or hot house tomatoes sliced
1 buffalo fresh mozzarella ball sliced
a couple bunches of basil chopped
cerignola olives
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar (optional)
kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Cascade the slices of various colors of heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella on your serving platter. Sprinkle chopped basil on slices. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and mozzarella. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over platter. Add olives. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Grape Caprese Salad

This is a recipe that is extremely easy to make and keeps well during a party.

INGREDIENTS
1 quart of grape tomatoes washed
1 quart container of bocconcini (bite-size balls of fresh mozzarella)
1 bunch of red seedless grapes
1 bunch of green seedless grapes
8 ounces of kalamata olives pitted
3 bunches fresh basil chopped
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar (optional)
kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Clean and place all ingredients in a big tupperware container with lid. Shake gently. Pour into serving platter and serve.

Tuscan Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad

INGREDIENTS
various colors of heirloom tomatoes sliced
1 buffalo fresh mozzarella ball sliced
a couple bunches of basil chopped
toasted bruschetta bread drizzled with olive oil and ripped
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar (optional)
kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Cascade the slices of tomatoes and mozzarella on your serving platter. Sprinkle chopped basil on slices. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and mozzarella. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over platter. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Serve.


VARIATIONS TO ABOVE RECIPES
Try replacing the tomatoes with fruit, such as strawberries. True Caprese salad does not call for olives, or balsamic. Those are optional but delicious.

Prosciutto and Mozzarella

This is my friend Melissa's variation to caprese that has become a party favorite.

INGREDIENTS
prosciutto di parma, sliced
fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt

DIRECTIONS
Place the slices of mozzarella in the middle of the serving platter. Layer the slices of prosciutto along the sides. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt only on the mozzarella portion of the platter. Serve.