A few weeks ago I reviewed Elisa Costantini’s wonderful book, Italian Moms: Spreading Their Art to Every Table. The book is compiled by son Frank, who gave me permission to post other recipes from the cookbook, so today I have chosen one that I first tasted in Italy five years ago. It is simple and easy as well as fresh and delicious! (Internal link to that review: https://www.menupause.info/archives/18897).
Italian Moms is self-published by the author Elisa and her son Frank. It is available through Amazon.com. You can also buy an autographed copy from Elisa’s website: www.italianmomscooking.com. It costs $24.95.
+In the book, both the English and the Italian words for this salad appear, so in Italian it is called Insalata Caprese.
Ingredients
3 large ripe tomatoes (I would use organic-es)
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese
1 bunch fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
pinch of salt
Directions
Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella cheese into 1/4 inch thick slices. Layer alternating slices of tomatoes, then basil leaf and then a mozzarella on a serving dish. Drizzle the salad with olive oil and drips of he vinegar. Garnish with a pinch of salt and serve with *prosciutto-wrapped bread sticks.
* NOTE: Since I don’t eat meat, I omitted the prosciutto-wrapped bread sticks and used my photo instead of the one from the book, which has this ingredient. I added olives instead.
P.S. Thanks to Frank Costantini for his permission to post more of his mom’s recipes.
I just ordered the book!!! I am going to a cooking class in Abruzzo in october!
Lucky you! ellensue