A Brief History of the Insalata Caprese (2024)

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A Brief History of the Insalata Caprese? ›

In the 1920's, right after the close of World War I, a particularly patriotic stone worker wanted to create a dish that was a tribute to his beloved country. He did this by creating the caprese salad; The red, green, and white dish perfectly represented Italy.

Italy

Caprese salad / Origin

In the 1920's, right after the close of World War I, a particularly patriotic stone worker wanted to create a dish that was a tribute to his beloved country. He did this by creating the caprese salad; The red, green, and white dish perfectly represented Italy.

The first origin story for Caprese salad dates back to post-World War I Italy. A patriotic mason wanted to make a dish that was a true tribute to Italy and that visually incorporated the tricolor into the presentation. The first printed mention of the Caprese salad was on a menu at the Hotel Quisisana.

Dish history

This dish comes from the Campania region in the south-west of Italy but it's enjoyed everywhere. The name of this salad, 'tricolore' (three-coloured), refers to its colours, which are the same as the Italian flag - red, white and green.

Caprese salad (Italian: insalata caprese, Italian: [insaˈlaːta kaˈpreːze; -eːse], or simply caprese) is an Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil. It is usually arranged on a plate in restaurant practice.

The word "salad" comes to English from the French salade of the same meaning, itself an abbreviated form of the earlier Vulgar Latin herba salata (salted herb), from the Latin salata (salted), from sal (salt).

The salad is named after the island of Capri, where it is believed to have originated. Two common stories about its origin include it being an homage to the Italian flag or "in the 20th century to appease the palates of vacationing royalty and important politicos."

Health Benefits by Ingredient

Check out the benefits of each ingredient in a caprese including: Tomato – Tomatoes are a great source of your daily vitamins. One serving of tomatoes gives you about 40% of your daily vitamin C intake. You'll also be getting a good dose of potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin A.

All things considered, YES a Caprese salad is a healthy option! Low in calories with a bunch of important nutrients coming from the vegetables and healthy fats from the cheese and olive oil. Basil also is a strong anti-inflammatory with enzyme-inhibiting oils.

What is the meaning of caprese? ›

Meaning of caprese in English

a salad made from slices of tomato and mozzarella (= a soft white Italian cheese), often with basil, and olive oil: The salads are pretty good — I normally get the Caprese.

It stays fresher and it's really easy to use a fork to break your portion up into bite size pieces. Or just eat it with your hands! Another way to serve a Caprese style salad is to chop everything into bite-size pieces, toss with the olive oil and vinegar, and serve over a bed of lettuce or as a chilled pasta salad.

Salads in Italy come in many varieties, including simple insalata verde (green salad, just a big bowl of lettuce), insalata mista (mixed salad of lettuce, carrots, tomato, perhaps some fennel), and meal-size insalatone (big salads filled with cheeses, meats, seafood, fruits, nuts).

Some argue that it was invented by a patriotic bricklayer from Capri who wanted a dish in the colors of the Italian flag, while others say it was invented in the 1950s to appeal to visiting tourists who wanted a lighter dish.

Whatever the reason, there's no doubt that Caprese salad is one of Italy's most loved, internationally recognized dishes. The ever-so simple recipe follows.

Balsamic—or any other type—does not belong on this dish, as caprese originates from the island of Capri in the south and balsamic vinegar comes from the north: two different culinary traditions.

The history of caprese salad

The Caprese salad originated on the beautiful island of Capri in the Gulf of Naples.

We may think of caprese as a dish that represents Italy as a whole, it's widely believed to have been invented in Capri, where it's especially popular and got its name from. Caprese increased in popularity in the 1950s and became a highly requested dish for tourists.

When King Farouk of Egypt was exiled to the island in 1952 after a military coup, he became a massive fan of his hotel's Caprese, reportedly ordering it in sandwich form for lunch every day. As with nearly every beloved Italian dish, the Caprese salad's origin story is subject to some debate.