Warm Caprese “Salad”

Caprese salad is a classic–and minimalist–Italian tomato-season dish of sliced ripe tomatoes, fresh whole-milk mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. You can intensify the flavors of this summer staple by using a toasty bread base and warming it all up.

There are two simple methods for prep: oven or grill. In the oven, bake baguette slices brushed with extra virgin olive oil at 450F for 5 minutes. Add a slice of tomato to each slice of bread, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add a slice of mozzarella. Bake again for another 5 minutes or so, just until cheese begins to get a bit melty. Top each with a basil leaf; drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a little more salt. “Eat and swoon” (wyf4lyf).

On the grill, follow the same procedure, first toasting the bread, then returning it to melt the cheese a bit. Some hounds prefer to hide the basil leaf under the cheese so its flavor really permeates. HWiley puts all ingredients inside halved pita breads and tosses on the grill; the pita crisps up while the insides gets the same warm melting effect.

Board Links: Baked Caprese “Salad” —FABULOUS!!!