Caprese Salad – an Italian classic with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil – gets a tasty (but absolutely not authentic) twist with the addition of balsamic glaze.
Ingredients
- tomato
- fresh mozzarella
- fresh basil
- extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar is an almost magical ingredient that makes everything better. It is not part of the original Italian recipe, however.
Simple is Better
Sometimes simple is better.
Okay, quite often, simple is better.
Nothing here is fancy – from basil to salt to balsamic vinegar to fresh tomatoes to mozzarella. Simple, classic, delicious.
Classic Caprese salad proves that rule – the flavour combination of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil is hard to resist.
But we’re going to add a new dimension with rich and syrupy balsamic glaze.
Why? Because I love balsamic vinegar.
Add a really good quality extra virgin olive oil and buon appetito!
This salad takes just ten minutes to put together and serves four.
A reader from Italy wants me to make it very clear that authentic Insalata Caprese doesn’t use vinegar – not regular vinegar nor balsamic. Dating from no earlier than the 1920s but most likely the 1970s, this salad is drizzled with oregano and good quality olive oil. The addition of balsamic vinegar is a North American variation. If you enjoy the balsamic variation, try it with the classic toppings.
Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze – Delicious Twist on Italian Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large ripe tomatoes
- 12 oz. fresh mozzarella, large ball
- 1 large bunch fresh basil, washed and dried
- 3 T. really good extra virgin olive oil.
- 1 cup of balsamic vinegar
- sea salt and fresh-cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Wash and dry the tomatoes and basil well. Cut the tomatoes into quarter-inch thick slices and discard the ends. Cut the mozzarella into quarter-inch thick slices as well.
On each plate, arrange the tomato, mozzarella, and basil in a circular pattern, overlapping them slightly. Start and end with a tomato slice. Drizzle some olive oil over the salad.
To make the balsamic glaze, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Then lower the heat and simmer until the vinegar is reduced to about a third of its original amount, stirring often. The glaze should be thick and glossy when done.
Let the glaze cool slightly before drizzling it over the salad. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and garnish with more basil leaves if you like. Serve right away or chill until ready to eat.
