If you’re reading this, you likely know that we take our food very, very seriously at Italy Segreta. It’s not uncommon to find us dissecting recipes and arguing about the optimal variety of tomato, or what the best way to cook broccoli is. And of course, when it comes to the infinite and minute variations on classic Italian dishes, the atmosphere at the office can get downright heated. In order to settle it once and for all, we’ll be taking the time to workshop and taste-test beloved recipes from Italy’s different cities and regions, in the aim of agreeing on the one, ultimate, reigning recipe. We’re not saying this is the most historically accurate or traditional way of cooking these recipes–there are plenty of other places you can go for those methods–this is just our highly opinionated editorial board’s collective favorite way. Approved by both the Italian and international contingents.
With its tricolored ingredients, insalata caprese really flies the Italian flag. Relatively new to Italy’s culinary canon–compared to historic plates like amatriciana and bistecca alla fiorentina–the dish can be traced back to the island of Capri in the 1930s when the chef of Hotel Quisisana created the salad for a Futurist dinner, inspired by the avant-garde art movement of the same name. The simple dish soon caught on within the region–as it features four of Campania’s best products–as well as abroad, becoming one of Italy’s most internationally recognized dishes.
It’s ridiculously simple to make–as it’s really all about the ingredients–but we have a few guidelines. For tomatoes, pick cuore di bue or Sicilian marinda (although we also love it with the sweeter cherry tomatoes). Don’t store your tomatoes in the fridge–you want them to be firm, but perfectly ripe. It will taste the best in the summer, when the tomatoes are in season. The best, and ONLY, choice of cheese is mozzarella di bufala, a perfectly white, tangy DOP product that can only be officially produced in Campania under strict regulations and should ooze milk when cut. Ideally, you should choose a fresh mozzarella made within 24 hours and leave it in a fresh environment–not the fridge–in its own liquid until slicing. A high quality, cold extracted, olive oil is essential, something particularly pungent to cut through the milky cheese. Do NOT grate lemon or drizzle balsamic on top. Top only with fresh basil leaves.
INSALATA CAPRESE
Serves 4; scale up ingredients as desired
INGREDIENTS
- Half a kilo mozzarella di bufala
- Two to three large, ripe tomatoes, cuore di blu, heirloom, marinda, or cherry tomatoes
- 1 bunch of fresh basil
- High-quality extra virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt
PREPARATION
- Slice the mozzarella in thick slices in the same dish where you will serve it, in order to not lose any of the liquid. Set aside.
- Slice the tomatoes into thick slices. If you’re using cherry tomatoes, slice them in half.
- Arrange the tomatoes in between the slices of mozzarella, and place the basil leaves either whole or cut in half on top.
- If desired, drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Serve.
