Despite its name, Caprese salad isn't derived from the culinary traditions of the island of Capri. It does, however, comprise four of Campania's best-known ingredients: tomato, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. When it comes to this relatively newer addition to the Italian cuisine canon, different origin tales abound – many take the patriotic route by linking the ingredients to the colors of the Italian flag.
Yet the one that ties the Caprese salad to the island of Capri states that the chef of Hotel Quisisana created it in the 1930s for Futurist dinner. Futurism, an avant-garde social and artistic movement, began in 1909 when Filippo Tommaso Marinetti published his Manifesto of Futurism in a local newspaper. The movement called for no part of the past and looked to the future as the way of the world, picking up speed to grow into a national movement.
Though it's mostly associated with art, Futurism seeped into all walks of life, including food. In 1932 Marinetti published a cookbook titled The Futurist Cookbook, which criticized much of Italy's food traditions, particularly taking a swipe at pasta (the nerve of him!). so it's said the hotel created Caprese salad, a pasta-less dish in honor of these contrarians.
Whatever the reason, there's no doubt that Caprese salad is one of Italy's most loved, internationally recognized dishes. The ever-so simple recipe follows.
Caprese Salad Recipe
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients for 4
5 ripe and firm tomatoes
2 balls of buffalo mozzarella
basil
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
Method
Cut the tomatoes into 1 cm slices. Sprinkle some salt over the slices and let sit for a few minutes to drain the excess water.
Cut the mozzarellas into 1 cm slices.
Make the Caprese salad by alternating the tomato and mozzarella slices directly on the plates. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a few basil leaves. Serve cold.
Optional add-ons: If you wish, finish with a sprinkle of sea salt and/or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction or freshly grated lemon zest.