Caprese Salad

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by Giada De Laurentiis
from Everyday Italian
(Clarkson Potter, 2005)
Makes 4 first-course servings

Every summer we take a family vacation sailing around the Mediterranean for a couple of weeks, and inevitably, we visit the incredibly beautiful island of Capri, in the Bay of Napoli. The people of Capri have co-opted the classic tri-colore combination of tomato, mozzarella, and basil and called it their own: if these three ingredients define a salad, it’s called Caprese. Lucky for them.—Giada De Laurentiis

convert Ingredients
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pounds assorted tomatoes (such as regular vine-ripened tomatoes, plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and yellow teardrop tomatoes)
6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, drained and sliced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

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Directions
1. Whisk the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil to blend. Set the dressing aside.

2. Cut the regular tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and the plum tomatoes into wedges. Cut the cherry, grape, and teardrop tomatoes in half.

3. Arrange the tomatoes and cheese on a platter. Drizzle the dressing over. Sprinkle with basil and additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Recipe © 2005 Giada De Laurentiis. All rights reserved.