CAPRESE SALAD with Modern Plating (Italian Insalata) Restaurant Recipe

fresh mozzarella

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: string cheese

Part-skim mozzarella has fewer calories, while string cheese is often more affordable.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: extra virgin olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Extra virgin olive oil is richer in nutrients, while canola oil is typically cheaper.

Rinse off the salt pack capers and soak them in water for about an hour.

Cut the wet packed fresh mozzarella into rough pieces and place them in a cup.

Add heavy cream to the mozzarella until it reaches a creamy consistency that can go through a piping bag.

Use a stick blender to blend the mozzarella and cream mixture until smooth.

Save some mozzarella aside in case too much cream is added, allowing you to thicken it back up if needed.

Pick fresh vine-ripened cherry tomatoes off the stem, wash, and dry them.

Use a serrated knife to hollow out the center of each cherry tomato.

Prepare a mixture of salt and pepper and use a funnel to add a pinch of this mixture into each hollowed tomato without ruining the outside.

Mince the soaked capers and set them aside.

Smash a whole clove of garlic with the back of a knife and place it in a bowl with olive oil to marinate for a couple of minutes.

Roll basil leaves up and cut them into chiffonade, ensuring they are not cut too finely.

Fill each hollowed tomato with the mozzarella mixture, ensuring they have salt and pepper inside.

Trim the bottoms of any tomatoes that do not stand up properly.

Remove the garlic clove from the marinated oil and spread the minced capers on the plate.

Arrange the filled tomatoes on the plate, ensuring they do not sit on top of the capers to avoid falling over.

Drizzle more olive oil and capers over the plated tomatoes.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens