Caprese with Tomatoes, Pesto, and Mozzarella

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make Caprese with tomatoes, pesto, and mozzarella? Start by gathering the ingredients. The colors of Caprese match the Italian flag exactly — green, white, and red — which is why it's considered a culinary symbol of the country. For that reason, the basil in a classic Caprese must always be green.

2. Step 2:

   

   It's best to use store-bought pesto, ideally Italian if you can find it. Italian pesto tastes quite different from the homemade kind. I've made pesto many times with the very same ingredients, but the flavor still isn't quite like the original. That said, if you'd like to make your own, I'll leave a link to the sauce below the recipe.

3. Step 3:

   

   Wash the tomatoes, dry them, and slice them into thin rounds. One tomato is enough if it's large; if they're medium, you'll need two.

4. Step 4:

   

   Take the mozzarella out of the brine, pat it dry, and slice it thin. The bigger the ball of mozzarella, the better — it's easier to slice. Mozzarella comes in two types: a yellowish semi-firm one for pizza, and a soft, white, brined one. We'll need the soft brined mozzarella.

5. Step 5:

   

   Rinse and dry the basil. You can pull the leaves off the stems ahead of time. If a sprig doesn't have many leaves, use two.

6. Step 6:

   

   Arrange the tomatoes and mozzarella on a plate, slightly overlapping and alternating between the two. Lightly salt the tomatoes and cheese. But before salting, taste your pesto — it's usually moderately salty, though some jars come with a bit too much salt. If the pesto is already salty, you don't need to add any more.

7. Step 7:

   

   Scatter the basil leaves on top. Spoon the pesto over everything.

8. Step 8:

   

   Drizzle the salad with olive oil and serve. Enjoy!