Caprese Pasta Salad
Caprese salad (Italian: insalata caprese) or simply Caprese is a simple Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil. It is usually arranged on a plate in restaurant practice. Like pizza Margherita, it features the colours of the Italian flag: green, white, and red. In Italy, it is usually served as an antipasto (starter), not a contorno (side dish), and it may be eaten any time of day. Variations of Caprese salad may include Italian dressing or pesto in place of olive oil, or balsamic vinegar in addition to it. The caprese salad is one form of a caprese dish; it may also be served as a caprese pizza, pasta, or sandwich.The origin of the Caprese salad is in the geographical origin: the magnificent and paradisiacal island of Capri, in the Gulf of Naples, one of the most beautiful and suggestive Italian islands. Some sources report it was an invention of a patriotic mason who after World War I loved to enclose the colors of the tricolor inside a fragrant bun. Surely the first historical mention is from the early 1920s when it appeared in the menu at the Hotel Quisisana where Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, founder of Futurism, in the summer of 1924 raged against pasta calling it "outdated". Another legend says that it was invented at the “Quisisana” hotel in Capri, in homage to Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, an exponent of the artistic movement called Futurism. In his “Manifesto of Futurist Cuisine” he criticized pasta dishes because they were too thought out. So in the 1920s, during a stay in Capri, the carb-free plate of Caprese salad appeared on the menu for the first time.Decades later, precisely in the 1950s,it is reported that King Farouk, asking for something light as an afternoon appetizer, was served a sandwich stuffed with mozzarella, tomato and basil. It is therefore definitely one of the discoveries of the twentieth century.According to the original version, the caprese must be made up of beefsteak tomatoes, with a typically irregular shape, whose pulp is almost seedless and highly aromatic. The mozzarella must absolutely be buffalo, DOP product, Campania excellence that has an inimitable taste. To complete the dish, basil, salt and a drizzle of Italian extra virgin olive oil. According to the older islanders, this is the version that was also served to the famous King Farouk of Egypt during his stay on the island of Capri in 1951: he was ecstatic.There are those who use mozzarella morsels (bocconcini) instead of large mozzarella or those who replace it with Parmigiano Reggiano. There are those who choose cherry tomatoes instead of beefsteak tomatoes. Some people prefer to use green tomatoes or who still use dried tomatoes. There are those who prefer salad in a bowl and those who prefer it on the skewer. Some add capers and olives, or anchovies to transform the caprese into a “marinara” version.Using the caprese, people invented a lot of caprese dishes, including pasta salad, sandwhich, pizza and even chicken. I am a big fan of caprese especially in the summer when I have fresh and tasty tomatoes from the garden. I recently made this Caprese pasta salad and I loved it. Is easy to make, you need just a few ingredients and you won’t make 100 degrees in the kitchen because you don’t need to bake or boil anything, excepting pasta for a few minutes. Trust me, this dish is delicious, is a must try. I’m sure you’ll love it.
Ingredients
- 140 g pasta
- 200 g cherry tomatoes
- 125 g mozzarella
- 100 g green pesto
- fresh basil
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- In a pot add water and salt and let the water boil. When the water starts to boil, add the pasta and boil them according to the instructionson the package. After the pasta has boiled, drain it and let it cool.
- Add the green pesto sauce over the pasta and mix. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, add mozzarella balls, fresh basil, salt and pepper, mix and enjoy an easy and delicious meal!
Notes
