Salad with mozzarella and tomatoes 'Caprese'

Before describing a salad with mozzarella and tomatoes, there is no doubt that you need to say a few words about what is mozzarella. Such a sonorous and musical name is probably the most famous and famous of Italian cheeses. For the first time this name is mentioned in the cookbook of 1570. However, the exact time the appearance of this cheese can not be established. Most likely, it appeared at the time when nomadic tribes inhabited Italy.

Mozzarellu is traditionally made from buffalo milk. It contains more fat and less carbohydrates, in addition, it is richer in protein and calcium. It is very important that the milk be delivered to the cheese factory as soon as possible, ideally within 12 hours after milking. There it is stored in special vessels, and when the milk turns off, rennet enzyme is added to these vessels and heated to 90 degrees, after which the mass is traditionally mixed with special wooden spatula manually to a homogeneous consistency.

From this substance and form the cheese. Mozzarella can vary in shape and size. It can be large, medium or very small, the size of a pea, balls or pigtail. As can be seen from the description of the technology, mozzarella is a young cheese, a quick ripening cheese . And it is also not stored for long. Therefore, it is impossible to try really tasty and fresh mozzarella in our country. In order to extend the shelf life of the cheese, it is either put in brine or smoked. In Russia, this cheese is most easily found in brine.

Cheese ball is covered with a thin light pearl peel, which can easily be separated from everything else. The cheese itself is very soft and tender, elastic to the touch. Mozzarella is very often used in dishes of Italian cuisine. Including it is one of the main ingredients in such a traditional dish for Italy as a salad with mozzarella and tomatoes "Caprese".

Italian salad with mozzarella is prepared quickly and simply. Tomatoes and cheese cut into thin slices and put them on a plate, alternating with each other. From above, tomatoes and cheese are poured with olive oil and adorned with basil leaves.

Another salad with mozzarella and tomatoes looks like this: put salad leaves on the plate , torn to pieces with small hands. Above put in random order cut in half cherry tomatoes, quail eggs, mozzarella cheese, as well as cut onions rings. As a dressing in this salad, olive oil mixed with lemon juice and seasoned with salt and pepper is used.

Sometimes in this salad with mozzarella and tomatoes are added and such ingredients as shrimps, capers and avocados. This salad is very useful and nutritious. First you need to clean and cut the avocado. For those who do not know how to do this, a little instruction: avocado cut in half and carefully remove the stone, then poke the spoon between the pulp and the rind and rotate, the peel should be easily detached. However, you can clean the avocado and with a knife for cleaning vegetables.

Avocado cut into large cubes, cherry tomatoes in half or quarters, mozzarella depending on the size of the balls: either cut in half or left as is. Prawns are boiled and cleaned of shell. All the ingredients are put in one plate, capers are added and poured with olive oil and lime juice.

There is another very interesting recipe: a salad with arugula and mozzarella. For its preparation, it is also necessary, as in the previous recipe, to sit and cut the avocado, chop the roccola large, cut the mozzarella in half. Cherry tomatoes are also cut into two halves and sent for 2 minutes to a heated frying pan, sprinkled with spices, then cooled and spread on a plate where rucola and avocado are already lying. On top I put pieces of mozzarella and pour everything with olive oil.