Caprese Salad 

Global symbol of Italian cuisine, insalata caprese (caprese salad), antipasto par excellence, contains only three simple ingredients, tomato, mozzarella and basil.

WHAT IS INSALATA CAPRESE?

Insalata caprese, or simply caprese, originates, as its name suggests, on the island of Capri, the pearl of the Bay of Naples, capital of the Campania region. A light and patriotic salad, it represents the colors of the Italian flag, il Tricolore. Red for the tomato, green for the basil, and white for the mozzarella. It is therefore composed of tomato, traditionally of the variety called fiascone native to the Sorrento peninsula (or San Marzano) and buffalo mozzarella, all cut into slices and seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and fresh basil. Sometimes balsamic glaze is added, or pesto vinaigrette, and, more rarely, oregano and freshly ground black pepper.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF INSALATA CAPRESE?

About the history of insalata caprese, as with many typical Italian dishes, there are several myths and legends surrounding it. The earliest hypothesis is closely related to King Farouk of Egypt (1920 – 1965), who ruled Egypt from 1936 until 1952, when he was overthrown. After a military coup in Egypt in 1952, King Farouk was forced into exile. For his exile, he first chose Monaco, then went to Rome and then to Capri. The scene took place one day at the Gatto Bianco (the White Cat), the jet set hotel at the time. After the monarch’s morning swim, he returned to the hotel and asked the chef to have a very fresh dish served to him. “He asked for something fresh, so they invented this salad, which also reminded them of the colors of the Italian flag,” said the grandson of the manager of the place later. The chef returned to the kitchen and found that he had some delicious regional products in his pantry. So he made a salad for the king with tomato, mozzarella, and basil drizzled with a generous amount of olive oil.

The second hypothesis about the creation of insalata caprese is that it was invented in a shipyard in Capri. This would probably be the humble origin of this dish known throughout Italy and around the world. It is said that the three tasty ingredients were brought together for the first time by a builder, particularly proud of his homeland, who wanted to pay homage to the colors of the Italian flag by filling his sandwich with foods reminiscent of the white, red and green of the flag of the Italian Republic.

According to other accounts, the third hypothesis about the invention of caprese salad, says it all started as a tribute to Filippo Tommaso Marinetti (1876 – 1944), an Italian writer and poet, who was the founder of the futurist movement at the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1909, the newspaper, Le Figarò published Il Manifesto Gastronomico Futurista (“The Futuristic Gastronomic Manifesto”) by Marinetti in which he bluntly criticized traditional Italian cuisine, calling it “too heavy and boring”. He hated pasta and said it was, “passatista di pesantezza!” (“heavy handed”). Marinetti therefore decided to seek the harmony of food through colors, flavors and above all, creative originality. In 1922, on the occasion of his visit to Capri, Marinetti, then speaker of the Convegno Italiano per la Difesa del Paesaggio (Italian Conference for the Defense of the Landscape), during a “futuristic” dinner was served at the Grand Hotel Quisisana , among other dishes, insalata caprese, in the colors of the Italian flag, to great triumph.

MOZZARELLA

Nicknamed “the white gold of Campania”, mozzarella is a spun-curd cheese made from buffalo or cow’s milk. When it comes to mozzarella, you have to distinguish between classic mozzarella and mozzarella di bufala campana. But, regardless of the type, it is always a spun-curd cheese. Moreover, the discovery of mozzarella is linked to the error of a monk in Campania, who dropped curds in hot water and, at the same time, discovered the art of spinning them. Mozzarella di bufala campagna is produced in Campania, in southwestern Italy. It’s made with water buffalo milk, which is rich in protein, and has been the subject of a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) since 1996. In Italy, cow’s milk mozzarella is made and marketed under the name of mozzarella, mozzarella di latte vaccino, or fior di latte. Buffalo mozzarella is characterized by a very fresh, soft and melt-in-the-mouth texture, with a very mild milky taste. Cow’s milk mozzarella, on the other hand, is commonly nicknamed fior di latte or bocconcini (“morsels”). It is much less tasty, and less rich in fat than buffalo mozzarella. It’s more affordable, and is not protected by a PDO. It can be produced anywhere in the world. Mozzarella takes its name from its specific manufacturing process. In Italian, the verb mozzare (“to cut off”), refers to the curds, hand-stretched into a ribbon, and then cut into balls. About 10½ quarts (10 liters) of milk are needed to produce 2 lbs (1 kg) of mozzarella. The curd is obtained thanks to rennet, an agent that makes it possible to curdle the milk. Once the curd is obtained, it is cut and immersed in water heated between 176 and 194 F (80-90°C). Spinning then begins, and consists of stretching the curds several times until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. This is when the cheese is cut ​​to give it its final ball shape.

Ingredients

8 ripe tomatoes , sliced

1 lb fresh buffalo mozzarella , sliced

Fresh basil leaves

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Fine salt

Black pepper , freshly ground

Balsamic glaze

Instructions

On a large platter, alternate tomato slices, mozzarella slices and basil leaves, overlapping them. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. 

Nutrition Facts

Insalata Caprese (Caprese Salad)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 479 Calories from Fat 342

% Daily Value*

Fat 38g 58%

Saturated Fat 17g 106%

Cholesterol 86mg 29%

Sodium 476mg 21%

Potassium 658mg 19%

Carbohydrates 12g 4%

Fiber 3g 13%

Sugar 7g 8%

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin A 5394IU 108%

Vitamin C 34mg 41%

Calcium 2554mg 255%

Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.