It’s hot outside, so I thought about preparing a nice quick salad that doesn’t require cooking, and yet is filling like a cooked dish. Caprese is exactly this kind of salad.
The original Caprese salad was created in the 1950’s in Capri. It consisted of only sliced tomatoes and fresh Mozzarella cheese, dressed in olive oil.
Since then, other versions were created. Most had basil in them, which resulted a more “patriotic” looking salad, as it has the colors of the Italian flag: green, red and white.
The Caprese purists claim the salad should not have any other seasoning but the olive oil, as the cheese is too delicate for any dressing. Yet, after tasting a few of these salads, I’ve decided that with all due respect to the classic version, it could benefit from a bit more flavor and texture.
I’ve decided not to slice the cheese, but rather “pull” it. I was surprised to see that the cheese actually tasted different (and I believe better) this way. I also liked the rustic presentation it created.
Other changes I’ve made were the use of colorful cherry tomatoes, adding a light touch of sweet/sour aged Balsamic vinegar and pomegranate molasses, and raw pistachios on top, for a crunchy texture and even more color.
Served with rustic bread or fresh focaccia, this salad is a perfect dish for a hot summer day.
Makes: 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
Fresh basil leaves, washed and dried in a salad spinner
About 4.5 oz (130 grams) high quality very fresh mozzarella
10-12 assorted cherry tomatoes
Sea salt
Freshly ground 4 pepper mix
A drizzle of aged Balsamic vinegar
A drizzle of pomegranate molasses
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
A handful of raw peeled pistachios
1. Arrange a few basil leaves on a large plate. Chop a couple of leaves roughly and set aside.
2. Pull the cheese into long stripes and place on top of the basil in the plate.
3. Slice the cherry tomatoes lengthwise, and add to the plate.
4. Season lightly with salt, pepper. Drizzle lightly the Balsamic vinegar, pomegranate molasses and olive oil. Scatter the chopped basil and the pistachios on top and serve.
In this version, I’ve also added a few pieces of prosciutto. Worth repeating!
Beautiful salad! I like the addition of pomegranate molasses!
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Thank you Olga. I’m glad you liked my version. I felt like the classic version needed a bit of change…. 🙂
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I love everything about your Caprese Salad and glad you made your own variations. Healthy, bright, tasty salad. What more do you need? Interesting that the mozzarella tasted different… pull vs. sliced but it make perfect sense.
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Thank you Jessica. I’m glad you liked my version. I find it more interesting and tasty and perfect for summer.
I too was quite surprised the cheese tasted differently, but in a really nice way. 🙂
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yummy!
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Yummy indeed… Thank you! 🙂
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Pomegranate molasses sounds really interesting! I’ve never heard of it and I can’t wait to try it out! The salad looks beautiful and I love the pistachio nuts that add an extra crunch! 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
Pomegranate molasses is made of concentrated cooked pomegranate juice. It is sweet and sour and can be used in many ways in the kitchen. I’m sure you’ll find many uses for it.
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Gorgeous use of colour, here, Ronit. I am definitely with you on the inclusion of balsamic in the recipe. I find it brings the sweetness and acid into balance. I’m intrigued for that reason about the pomegranate molasses. I can imagine the flavours but look forward to getting my hands on some to investigate. 🙂
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Thank you Dale! I’m glad you liked my colorful version. I use pomegranate molasses frequently, so thought it would be nice to add it for another subtle layer of acidity and sweetens to the salad. It worked great and now it’s my preferred version. 🙂
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Looks so refreshing and tasty!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Again I love your pictures,
Love the way that the long cheese stripes looks and the pistachio all over…yaaami!!
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Thank you Rami! I too liked the photo – I don’t always succeed in taking really good ones….
I hope you’ll try this version and enjoy itץ
ד”ש חמה לכולם
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Damn!!! it look a like a five star hotel caprese salad!!!
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Thank you! That is a real compliment coming from you – with your exquisite photos and presentations. 🙂
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Ronit it looks delicious and so elegant, and I love the fact that you “pulled” the cheese:-) I love mozzarella, I could eat it just with some vinegar and tomato 😀 or even without!
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Thank you Marta – so nice to hear!
Fresh Mozzarella is really great, and “Pulling” it made it even tastier. 🙂
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Looks fresh and healthy salad
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Thank you Vidya! 🙂
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Wonderful Ronit!!! It looks amazing!!
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Thank you Serena! That is a real compliment coming from you – with your exquisite photos and presentations. 🙂
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You are very kind Ronit! 🙂
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I’ve been living on Caprese salads lately — it’s too hot to think about cooking and there’s just something so perfect about that combination. I really love the idea of adding pistachios — going to try that soon! I bet it’s fantastic.
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Thank you! 🙂
I hope you’ll like the pistachios addition – I love their crunchiness and sweetness.
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Very brave to mess with a classic. I like a rebel and this looks delish.
Be well, Tracey
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Thank you Tracy! 🙂
It’s nice to play with the classics every now and then and this time the result was really worth it. 🙂
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Oh my gosh! This is very special!
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Thank you Dimple! I’m glad to hear you liked it. 🙂
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WOW! Glad I skittered back . . . was busy with DH in the hospital when you posted this, but certainly wouldn’t have wanted to have missed this great dish! The pomegranate molasses sound like a substitute for the very aged Balsamic vinegar that we had acquired in Oregon ten years ago. That stuff was addictive. Not much chance of finding it locally in the desert, but I have a computer with infinite mail order capabilities!
Now the pulled mozzarella – that’s something I’ll need to try. It might be like slicing onions the long way for a different (better) flavor.
I usually keep pistachios around, but kind of got tired of them and found I wasn’t using them. My supply is no more, so another thing to put on the mail order list.
Thanks for the jog! ;->
Virtual hugs,
Judie
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Thank you! I’m glad you liked this “unorthodox” version of the salad. 🙂
You’re right about the mozzarella – it’s really similar to slicing an onion on a different angle and producing a somewhat different taste.
Hope you’ll be able to gather all the ingredients. It’s really so much easier today with the ability to order things online.
Best wishes for fast recovery! 🙂
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I was born “unorthodox(ed)”. Recipes to me are only “suggestions”, or maybe, more stringently – “guidelines”! Well, except for cornbread and pancakes! ;->
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I couldn’t agree more! 🙂
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Today I am going to defy tradition with the Sunday poached egg method. Stay tuned for results.
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Looking forward to your post! 🙂
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Looks delicious, and a little bit different (a lot different!) from the usual. Can’t imagine what it will be like to “pull” mozzarella, but we’ll see.
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Thank you! “Pulling” the cheese is easier than it sounds. You’ll notice the layers of it very easily once you cut the cheese in half. I hope you’ll enjoy the results. 🙂
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So I tried it! The good news: it was delicious, and yes, I think the mozzarella tastes better this way.
The neutral (not really bad) news: I had a hard time pulling the cheese, it didn’t separate the nice way yours did. Nonetheless, I kept at it and more or less managed.
I didn’t have pomegranate molasses so I left it out, and I was out of pistachio nuts, so left them out too. What I did have was fine and made a really delicious salad that looked beautiful and tasted great.
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Thank you for taking the time to comment. I’m really glad to hear you’ve enjoyed the results. . 🙂
As for the cheese – the freshest it is, the easier it is to “pull”.
If you plan to make the salad again, you can replace the pistachios with any other nut – their crunchiness makes the salad even tastier. 🙂
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It’s colourful and yummmmm :). You got a colourful blog.
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Thank you! I like colors, especially in food. 🙂
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Nice of you. Stop in my blog when you find time 🙂
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I did. You have very nice recipes there. I’m happy to follow. 🙂
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Thanks a lot. Your words keeps encouraging me 🙂
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I love your version of caprese salad, Very innovative!
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Thank you Liz. I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
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Yumm. Love it 😀
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Thank you! It was very yummy indeed! 🙂
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I’ve had the “original” version with just the olive oil and I’m with you, it really benefits from more flavour and texture. Your tip of pulling the cheese instead of cutting it …makes me really curious so I’m definitely going to try that next time I make this!
Beautiful looking salad too, great photos 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
I hope you’ll enjoy the results. 🙂
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This looks amazing, delicious and what a beautiful plating.
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Thank you, I’m glad you liked my version. 🙂
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