Caprese with Garden Basil

Ingredients

• ●3 to 4 large ripe tomatoes (any excellent variety), sliced ¼ inch thick
• ●1 pound fresh mozzarella (buffalo mozzarella if you can find it), sliced ¼ inch thick
• ●1 large bunch fresh basil, leaves picked
• ●Extra virgin olive oil — the best you have
• ●Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ●Balsamic reduction (optional)

Method

1. Arrange alternating slices of tomato and mozzarella on a platter, overlapping slightly. Tuck basil leaves between and on top.
2. Drizzle generously with your best olive oil.
3. Sprinkle with flaky salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
4. If using balsamic reduction, drizzle it lightly — a little goes a long way.
5. Serve immediately at room temperature. Never refrigerate a Caprese.
6. *Storage:** None. This is a moment, not a leftover.
7. *Seasonal note:** Fresh mozzarella should be milky and soft, not rubbery. If you can find burrata (mozzarella filled with cream and stracciatella), use it — when you cut it open and the cream oozes over the tomatoes, it's a religious experience. Grow your own basil if you possibly can. The stuff from the garden, picked minutes before serving, is incomparably better than store-bought.