Apollo Olive Oil

Recipes

Insalata Caprese
A capricious tomato 'salad'
By Richard Hirshen owner of Richie's Neighborhood BBQ & Antipasteria, Chico CA

Note: Capri is an Italian island off the coast of Napoli (Naples) which is famous for its water buffalo milk mozzarella, tomatoes and, of course, pizza. This 'salad' (no lettuce is called for) is a refreshing summer dish that takes advantage of height of season tomatoes and just-made super-creamy mozzarella, which is now being produced in California by Hanns Heicke and his team at Real Mozzarella (www.realmozzarella.com). Please use organic ingredients whenever possible!

Serves 4
2 large or 4 medium ripe heirloom variety tomatoes
1 8-oz ball of real mozzarella (or other brand of fresh
mozzarella in water, or substitute any other favorite
cheese including Black Butte Reserve from Pedrozo
Family Dairy, which can be found at the Chico
Saturday Farmers' Market
2 ounces Apollo Sierra Blend organic extra virgin olive oil
20 black olive olives
8-12 basil leaves, julienne
Salt and pepper to taste
Edible blossoms (yellow nasturtiums look and taste great, but any flowers will work)
Optional:
1 handful of mixed color organic cherry tomatoes.
More oil (I like a lot on my Caprese, and it's so healthy!).

Slice the tomatoes and cheese in equal size rounds (or ½ rounds to get more slices from your ball of cheese) and in equal amounts (about 4 or 5 slices of each)
arrange in an alternating wheel pattern, drizzle the oil, sprinkle the salt and basil
arrange the olives then arrange the edible blossoms in the center on top for height.