Caprese is a refreshing salad made from slices of tomato and mozzarella. Often served with fresh basil leaves, these salad bites use grape tomatoes cut in heart shapes and small pieces of mozzarella cheese. This recipe serves up to 10 people but you may want to buy extra ingredients because these will go fast!
Prep Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 10 Calories: 58 kcal (per serving)
Ingredients:
- 20 toothpicks or cocktail picks
- 20 grape tomatoes (these are halved)
- 20 pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese or “bocconcini” (small mozzarella balls)
- Fresh basil leaves (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Balsamic glaze for drizzling or make a dip of ½ cup balsamic vinegar mixed with ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
Take a platter out that is large enough to fit an arrangement of 20 appetizer skewers and place it near your workspace.
Cut your grape tomatoes into heart shapes. Here’s how: Cut the stem portion of the tomato off at an angle. Place the remaining tomato cut side down on the cutting board. Cut it in half along the widest point. Put the two pieces together to form a heart shape.
Thread a mozzarella ball, a tomato heart, and another mozzarella ball onto the toothpick or cocktail pick. Repeat the procedure with the rest of the ingredients, arranging the appetizers on the platter. (Note: if you’re using fresh basil leaves wrap each mozzarella ball with a leaf before threading it through.)
Season the bites with salt and pepper
Finish with a balsamic vinegar drizzle before serving or just season them with salt and pepper and serve them with an oil and balsamic dip.
Variations: We have a friend who likes to add a garlic-stuffed olive in the middle.
Products: Birds Olive/Cocktail Picks
