Caprese

The Italian classic is thought to originate from the Island of Capri, but there has been no way to officially determine where it came from. It is however credited to the southern Italian region of Campania. Caprese is considered a summer dish, in part to the ingredients being in season at that time, specifically the tomatoes. What makes caprese so amazing is its simplicity, traditionally using only 4 ingredients of buffalo mozzarella (Mozzarella di bufala), basil, tomato and extra virgin olive oil. It did not gain world fame until the 1950s, when it was discovered by Egyptian King Farouk while on vacation. He is also credited to inventing the caprese sandwich, one of his favorite ways of eating it, and one of our best sellers! Not only is caprese an incredibly simple dish, it is also very versatile. There is caprese salad, the original, as well as the aforementioned sandwich. It can be also made into lasagna, pizza, put on bread, skewered, made into soup, and many more. There are also many different variations, such as replacing tomatoes with red bell peppers, sundried tomatoes, radicchio, and even watermelon caprese salad. BuzzFeed has compiled 37 different ways to eat caprese, with recipes! Check out this article by The Nibble for more history information and a great caprese pasta salad recipe!

Caprese – The history of an Italian Classic