Caprese salad

Caprese salad
TypeSalad
Place of originItaly
Region or stateCampania
Main ingredientsMozzarella, tomatoes, basil, salt, olive oil

Caprese salad (Italian: insalata caprese, Italian: [insaˈlaːta kaˈpreːze; -eːse], or simply caprese)[1] is an Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil. It is usually arranged on a plate in restaurant practice.[2][3] Like pizza Margherita, it features the colours of the Italian flag: green, white, and red. In Italy, it is usually served as an antipasto (starter), not a contorno (side dish), and it may be eaten any time of day. The caprese salad is one form of a caprese dish; it may also be served as a caprese pizza, pasta, or sandwich.

The salad is named after the island of Capri, where it is believed to have originated.[4] Two common stories about its origin include it being an homage to the Italian flag or "in the 20th century to appease the palates of vacationing royalty and important politicos".[5]

  1. ^ Edward Antrobus (31 October 2010). Recipes of If You Can Read, You Can Cook: Year 1. SEAM Publishing. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-301-75286-7.
  2. ^ The Joy of Cooking (75th Anniversary Edition) p. 169
  3. ^ "Nigel Slater's classic insalata caprese recipe", The Observer, Sunday 18 July 2010.
  4. ^ "Insalata Caprese". ITALY Magazine. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  5. ^ "Caprese Salad captures Italy's rich history". The Lowell Sun. August 26, 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2020.