The secret to a great caprese
Caprese salad—who doesn’t know it? This classic from Italian cuisine is the perfect combination of soft cheese, juicy tomato and fresh basil for a warm summer or spring day. Or actually, for any day… But what is the secret to the ultimate caprese salad?
For a truly good caprese salad, it’s all about the quality of the ingredients. Choose the freshest mozzarella you can find, pick the juiciest, ripest tomatoes from the produce section and select fresh, colourful basil. Get that bottle of extra virgin olive oil too (here’s how to recognise a good bottle) and some salt and pepper to season.
Where do you buy your caprese ingredients?
You can find basil and tomatoes at the supermarket, but do go for really good tomatoes; it’s best to get the cheese from a traiteur or specialist cheese shop. FavorFlav’s Sharon, for example, swears by Il Parco, one of the best producers of buffalo mozzarella and fresh burrata. Sharon: “Once you’ve tasted this, you really don’t want any other mozzarella anymore, and certainly not a tough ball from the supermarket. This buffalo mozzarella is incredibly flavourful thanks to the deep taste of buffalo milk.” You can find it at Bourgondisch Lifestyle. The Italian delicatessen shop Casa del Gusto on Kerkstraat is also a great option.
And this is how you make a top-notch caprese
For a generous plate of caprese salad, take one ball of mozzarella, two large ripe tomatoes and several basil leaves. Cut the mozzarella and the two tomatoes into four equally sized slices. Arrange the slices one after another, slightly overlapping (like roof tiles), on the plate. Then scatter the basil leaves and drizzle olive oil over your salad, and season it with salt and pepper. Also delicious: swap the mozzarella for burrata for a little extra creaminess.
