Saturday, April 17, 2010

Caprisi

Seriously, you can not mess this one up, its simple, elegant...and did I mention simple?

All you kneed are a few ingredients, some wine and maybe some Italian music to have fun with.

Tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh Basil
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil (the good stuff)

The main thing to worry about is making sure your tomatoes and mozzarella are about the same size--you want it to look pretty.  So if you get small mozzarella balls..get smallish tomatoes.  If you get tiny mozzarella 'pearls' get grape tomatoes.  Simple as that.

Now cut your tomatoes maybe 1/8 to 1/4 inch think.  If tomatoes are out of season--place them all on the plate in a nice circle design--and salt them now with fresh ground sea salt.  Cut the mozzarella just as thick and place one slice of mozzarella on each tomato slice.  Put a little fresh ground sea salt and pepper on the mozzarella.

You are more than half done.

Roll a few leaves of fresh basil into a tight little cigar shape and slice tiny little ribbons of basil.  Sprinkle this on the tomato and mozzarella.  Do a few rounds of Olive Oil and leave it to sit for about 5 minutes so the salt marries the flavors.

Serve slightly chilled or room temp--I prefer room temp but I am slightly odd.

You can get mozzarella at any major store--I have even seen it in smaller Walmarts when I have had the unfortunate time of being in one.

Enjoy.