Caprese salad before the meal

Caprese Recipe as an Appetizer

"Caprese" is a classic Italian dish where the combination of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil dances in your mouth, further enhanced by the flavors of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It's a perfect dish for summer dining, allowing you to enjoy the ingredients at their best.

I don't remember when I made this, but I forgot to upload it to the blog.

1. Prepare the ingredients

Soak a handful of basil and a handful of sliced onions in cold water.

2. Prepare the tomatoes

Score two small tomatoes in a cross shape.

3. Peel the tomatoes

Boil them for 10 seconds, then transfer to cold water and peel.

4. Prepare the dressing

Mix olive oil (3 parts), white wine vinegar (1.5 parts), balsamic vinegar (0.5 parts), minced basil (1 part), minced onion (0.5 parts), sugar (0.5 parts), salt (0.4 parts), and pepper (0.2 parts) to make the dressing. If you don't have balsamic vinegar, regular vinegar is fine.

5. Finish the Caprese

Arrange two small tomatoes and one package of fresh mozzarella cheese on a plate, pour the dressing over them, and it's done.

Mozzarella cheese originated in Southern Italy, but it is commonly referred to as pizza cheese. It is made from sheep's or cow's milk. Fresh mozzarella, or fior di latte mozzarella, refers to cheese kept submerged in the water produced during its making to maintain its moisture content.

Its packaging resembles that of tofu. This suggests that mozzarella cheese was originally meant to be eaten on the day it was made. While fresh, this cheese has a soft texture, but over time, it gradually becomes rubbery and elastic, which is the state of mozzarella we typically encounter.

When fresh, it's great in salads. Once it has firmed up a bit, it can be baked on pizzas or gratins.

It's recommended to refrigerate it unopened, and once opened, store it in a plastic bag in the freezer to prevent mold.