Insalata Caprese

My husband is not a cheese person. Though he is a tomato person. So I have always hesitated to try this simple classic salad for fear I would end up eating the cheese entirely by myself. And while I love cheese, I am only a fan of mozzarella in the melted form.

However we had friends coming for dinner last night and I wanted to do something a little different to go with the bbq'd sausages and corn on the cobb I was preparing. With vine rippened tomatoes in abundance, and a bunch of fresh basil growing in my garden, begging to be used for something, I decided to try it.

A ball of fresh buffalo mozzarela was the last item I needed, which was quickly obtained from my local grocer.

There are probably alot of "recipes" written about Insalata Caprese, but really all you need are fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarela, fresh basil, fruity olive oil, salt and fresh ground pepper. The cheese and tomatoes are sliced and layered on a platter, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper. Fresh basil is ripped on top of the salad, adding to the traditional colors and flavors.

It certainly looked pretty.

But I must not be Italian as I did not really get the fascination with this salad. It was good, fresh and flavorful, but not the fabulous feast of flavors I had been led to expect it would be. Super fresh tomatoes with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is one of my favorite summer flavors, so I was off to a good start. Cheese is a necessity, and the buffalo mozzarella was lovely, soft and mild, completely unlike regular store bought mozzarella and more like the texture of good melted mozzarella.

The response to it was positive, with two of the three children at least trying the cheese, and my husband happily eating everything but the cheese.

I would be tempted to make this again for a special occassion, and may do so later this summer when the tomatoes from my garden are calling out to be used.

And I still think I would like to try the pasta version of this salad, Spaghetti Alla Caprese.