This Week's Recipe: Insalata Caprese
February 17,2005

The name "Insalata Caprese" means, salad from the island of Capri. This is a wonderful light apetizer, especially good with spring just around the corner!

Ingredients:

-One medium sized vine ripened tomato
-Four large leaves of fresh basil
-One four ounce ball of fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese
-Salt
-Freshly ground black pepper
-Dried oregano
-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
-Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Slice the tomato into four thick slices (1/4" or more) like you would slice for a hamburger, only thicker. Dash a little salt over the tomato slices and place these on your serving dish, aranged in a circle for appearance. Next top these tomato slices with a leaf of fresh basil, one leaf per tomato slice. Cut the mozzarella into four thick slices (like the tomato). Place a mozzarella slice over each tomato slice and dash with salt pepper and oregano over the top of the cheese slices as seasoning. Drizzle the olive oil over the slices and serve with a side of balsamic vinegar if desired.


We really enjoyed this lite dish at Monks Media! Great flavor, and a great looking presentation. The real secret to the great taste, in our oipinion is the fresh buffalo mozzarella, which was unlike any mozzarella I recall. The added fresh taste from the basil leaves accented the dish perfectly, and filled the room with a nice aroma! Join us next Thursday at 1:00PM for Bon Apetit with Mateo DiRosa, wehn he will teach us how to make balsamic dressing, along with another great salad! I feel hungry already.

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