Caprese Salad →

Often served as an antipasto, anywhere in the world where Italian food is served you will find the delicious, refreshingly light Caprese Salad. According to popular culinary folklore, the Caprese Salad was invented by a stone mason on the island of Capri in Campania to honor the red, green, and white tri-color Italian flag after the first World War. Red tomatoes, green basil, and white buffalo mozzarella drizzled with local olive oil, flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper; simple and delicious. Another version of where the Caprese originated comes from the folks at La Cucina Italiana, according to them the Caprese salad was first served at the Hotel Quisisana on Capri at a dinner for the Futurists, an avant-gard artistic and social movement that was critical of historical traditions and focused on the dynamism of the modern world for inspiration. In a brilliant piece of public relations, the founder of the Futurist movement, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, published the Futurist Cookbook which criticized the traditional food culture of Italy, especially pasta! (That got some attention!) Legend has it the chef at the Quisisana created the Caprese Salad as a pasta-less dish to honor the Futurists. Regardless of which story you prefer, the Caprese Salad incorporates four foundational ingredients of traditional Italian food (tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and buffalo mozzarella) into one of the most internationally recognized and enjoyed Italian dishes. Buon Appetito!

CAPRESE SALAD
Serves 4

Ingredients
The basics:

• 5 ripe and firm fresh tomatoes (or an assortment of different tomatoes)

• 2 balls of buffalo mozzarella (if you can’t find true buffalo mozzarella, use fresh mozzarella made from cow milk; I used fresh Mozzarella Ciliegini)

• fresh basil

• extra-virgin olive oil

• salt

• pepper

Optional:
A few drops of good quality Balsamic vinegar (Colavita Balsamic Vinegar from Modena is highly rated and available in many supermarkets), or balsamic reduction; a few rinsed, chopped capers.

PREPARATION
The most common presentation of the Caprese is simply an arrangement of alternating slices of tomato and sliced mozzarella, sprinkled with flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper, topped with fresh basil, and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil.

If you want to change up the presentation, be a Futurist and use your imagination. Use different kinds of tomatoes (beef steak, orange cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, etc.) Instead of slicing the tomatoes crosswise into ¼ – ½ inch slices, cut off the stem-end of the tomato and slice the large beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes lengthwise into narrow wedges; cut cherry tomatoes in half; tear, don’t chop the basil leaves; drizzle with olive oil; add a few drops of dark Balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction; add a few chopped briny capers. Make it your own family tradition.

Ham and Potato Frittata →

What’s the difference between an omelette, a Spanish tortilla, and a frittata? Apart from the country of origin (France, Spain, and Italy), not much. All are egg-based dishes cooked on the stove with or without various added ingredients. The main difference between the three is that the omelette and tortilla are flipped and finished on the stovetop, whereas the frittata starts on the stovetop and is finished under the broiler or in the oven without flipping. Easy and quick to make if you use a mandoline to slice the potatoes, this recipe calls for eggs, sliced potatoes (like the classic Spanish tortilla), onions, and leftover ham and is finished under the broiler in the oven which makes it a frittata. Call it what you want. I call it delicious! If you are not avoiding dairy, add a coarsely grated cheese like Gruyere or Cheddar for an added gooey, deliciously cheesy dimension to the frittata. Bon appétit! Buen provecho! Buon appetito! Enjoy!!

Ham and Potato Frittata
Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of chopped, sliced ham

• 2 large potatoes peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 medium onion chopped

• 8 eggs whisked

• ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• olive oil

• ½ cup coarsely grated cheese like Gruyere or Cheddar (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Peel and slice the potatoes about 1/16 inch thick; dry and sprinkle with salt. (Note: a mandoline helps make this step very quick.)

2. Add the potatoes to a cast-iron skillet or ovenproof non-stick skillet with a heavy bottom. Cover the potatoes with olive oil and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until tender turning over once.

3. While the potatoes are cooking, whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the chopped ham and onion, salt and pepper, and mix. If using cheese, add the cheese at this time.

4. Once the potatoes are just tender, drain the oil into a glass measuring cup and carefully add the potatoes to the egg mixture. Mix gently to combine the ingredients.

5. Add a couple of tablespoons of the reserved olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully pour in the egg, ham, and potato mixture. Don’t worry if some of the potatoes break up. Shake the pan gently to distribute the mixture evenly.

6. While you fry the frittata over medium heat, pre-heat your broiler. Once the edges of the frittata are set and just beginning to brown, place the skillet on the top rack under the broiler for one-two minutes monitoring carefully so the frittata doesn’t burn. Once the frittata is golden brown and the center of the frittata is firm and not juicy, it’s done. If the center is still juicy and jiggly, shut off the broiler and place the frittata back in the hot oven on the middle rack. Check again after one-two minutes. If you leave the frittata in the oven too long the egg becomes dry and rubbery.

Serve narrow slices of the frittata as hors d’oeuvres, or serve wedges accompanied with a green salad dressed with a vinaigrette for a quick light mid-week meal, or week-end brunch. For wine, a crisp, chilled Rosé is a perfect choice to accompany this dish.