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Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil
 (original photographer:  Roz Corieri Paige)  .
 
 
This recipe for Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil has been wildly popular on the web ever since I shared it in 2009.  The reason?  It’s simply delicious and oh so simple to make!  
 
The best time to make this colorful Italian salad is during the summer months when tomatoes are at their peak of flavor.  When I first shared my recipe I was I just SO excited and jazzed!  That summer was just perfect with the right amount of rain and warm weather with sunny days after the rains that contributed to a bountiful crop of tomatoes!  I was harvesting tomatoes by the bucket-fulls.
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So I’ve made one of my all-time favorite Italian dishes: Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil.  Normally, I slice up nice some Roma tomatoes (or any tomato, really!), then slice up some fresh imported Mozzarella cheese, and finally, stack those with large basil leaves. I drizzle them with high-quality Extra Virgin First Pressed Italian Olive Oil and sprinkle them with Italian sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
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But with this bumper crop of grape tomatoes coming in, I chose to make a Caprese salad instead. This salad uses all of the same ingredients, just in smaller pieces. You can eat it by the fork or the spoonful! I also pass around fresh Italian bread to serve along with the salad for guests to spoon some salad on top and eat or to mop up the flavored olive oil! Mmmmm, just pure and simple heaven!
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Caprese Salad

(original photographer:  Roz Corieri Paige)
 

Roz's Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil

Roz's Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil

This is an exceptionally delicious and easy summer salad to prepare whether for yourself, family, and/or guests.  They will rave about this and thank you for sharing it with them!

Ingredients

  • 4 - 5 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves
  • 1 lb. fresh imported Italian mozzarella, cut into 1/4 - 1/2" cubes
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin, first pressed Italian olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar for a more mild flavor)
  • 10 - 15 large fresh basil leaves (to taste)
  • Italian or Kosher sea salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Fresh Italian bread

Instructions

  1. Toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.
  2. Tear the basil into large pieces and toss into the salad.
  3. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  4. Serve immediately (can be refrigerated to serve a little bit later too).
  5. Serve with fresh, crusty Italian bread
© Roz
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Salads
 
If you enjoy delicious tomato recipes, click on this link for more tomato recipes:   more tomato recipes here on La Bella Vita Cucina!

It’s our pleasure to share these time-tested family recipes with ‘amore’ from our cucina and acreage to you.  


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