Caprese Salad

Ok folks, a special treat this week, Caprese Salad. For a few weeks we have been thinking about this dish, since it is one of our favorites, but we decided to wait until we had one that would really measure up. We have really been into restaurants that are known for "small plate" menus. It has given us the ability to try a variety of dishes in one sitting without feeling too much like fatties.

This week we decided to try Meze a tapas lounge in the west loop. Besides having really awesome and affordable Sangria (20 bucks for a pitcher), their caprese salad was delicious (and that's saying something since Matt LOVES caprese salad and has had it MANY times). Unlike most caprese salads we've had, Meze's including a basil oil drizzle (like a pesto) which added a great extra basil flavor to the dish.

Obviously we had to try this at home since it is fairly simple to make and know that it makes a great addition to a summer dinner.

Matt's Caprese Salad
3 ripe tomatoes sliced
1 ball of fresh (buffalo) mozzarella
Pesto

Pesto
3 cups of basil (any extra pesto can be used with noodles)
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
2 gloves of garlic
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

In a food processor chop the 3 cups of basil with 2 gloves of garlic until makes a nice paste. Then add the cheese and pulse until combined, season with salt and pepper. Then stream in olive oil until the pesto becomes drizzable.

Layer the tomatoes with slices of mozzarella and pesto.

Judgement: Homemade Wins! (close call, but our pesto pulled it off)