By SHARON ROSE
Ina Garten's Advice For Fixing Messy Caprese Salads
Tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil are all you need to make a Caprese salad, but dealing with slippery tomatoes and wet, soft cheese can lead to a messy presentation.
Thanks to celebratory chef Ina Garten’s expertise in balanced proportions and attractive plating, fixing a messy caprese salad will be an absolute cakewalk.
In her “Ask Ina” series on Instagram, Garten walks her audience through the step-by-step process and assembles the salad from a designer's perspective.
Garten keeps the tomato and mozzarella at the same diameter and ¼ inch thickness to create a neater appearance. She says serving the round slices on a square plate looks better.
Garten lays the slices on the plate in two columns, alternating between the tomato and mozzarella. She then sprinkles some salt and a light dusting of pepper.
To finish, Garten lightly splashes vinegar on each tomato and mozzarella slice before drizzling a generous amount of olive oil over the dish.