Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze
Thick slabs of tomato and fresh mozzarella under torn basil, finished with a balsamic reduction thick enough to hold a stripe.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Written
Method
-
Simmer the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced by about half and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8-10 minutes, then set aside to cool and thicken further.
-
Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into rounds about ¼ inch thick.
-
Shingle the tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter, alternating and overlapping, tucking whole basil leaves between them.
-
Drizzle with the olive oil, then the cooled balsamic glaze in thin stripes.
-
Finish with flaky salt and black pepper and serve within the hour, before the tomatoes weep into the platter.
Notes
Buy the best tomatoes you can find and the wettest mozzarella — this is a three-ingredient dish with nowhere for a mediocre one to hide. Let both come fully to room temperature before slicing; cold tomato has no flavor and cold mozzarella stays rubbery instead of yielding.
The reduced balsamic keeps for weeks in the fridge, so double the batch and use the rest on grilled peaches or roasted vegetables.