Before describing a salad with mozzarella and tomatoes, of course, you need to say a few words about what mozzarella is. Such a sonorous and musical name is probably the most famous and famous of Italian cheeses. This name was first mentioned in the cookbook of 1570. However, the exact time of the appearance of this cheese is not possible to establish. Most likely, he appeared at a time when nomadic tribes inhabited Italy.
Mozzarella is traditionally made from buffalo milk. It contains more fat and less carbohydrates, in addition, it is richer in protein and calcium. It is very important that milk is delivered to the cheese factory as quickly as possible, ideally within 12 hours after milking. There it is stored in special vessels, and when the milk is curdled, rennet is added to these vessels and the mixture is heated to 90 degrees, after which the mass, according to tradition, is manually mixed with special wooden shovels to a homogeneous consistency.
Cheese is formed from this substance. Mozzarella can vary in shape and size. It can be large, medium or very small, the size of a pea, balls or pigtail. As you can see from the description of the technology, mozzarella is a young cheese, cheese of rapid ripening. And it is also not stored for long. Therefore, in our country it is impossible to try really tasty and fresh mozzarella. In order to extend the shelf life of the cheese, it is either placed in brine or smoked. In Russia, this cheese is easiest to find in brine.
The cheese ball is covered with a thin, light pearlescent skin, which can be easily separated from everything else. The cheese itself is very soft and delicate, elastic to the touch. Mozzarella is often used in Italian dishes. Including it is one of the main ingredients in such a traditional dish for Italy as a salad with mozzarella and Caprese tomatoes.
Italian mozzarella salad is quick and easy to prepare. Tomatoes and cheese are cut into thin slices and put them on a plate, alternating between each other. Top tomatoes and cheese poured with olive oil and garnished with basil leaves.
Another salad with mozzarella and tomatoes looks like this: lettuce leaves torn into small pieces by hand are laid out on a plate. Cherry tomatoes, quail eggs, mozzarella cheese, and onion cut in half rings are laid in random order on top. This salad dressing uses olive oil mixed with lemon juice and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Sometimes ingredients like shrimp, capers and avocados are added to this salad with mozzarella and tomatoes. This salad is very healthy and nutritious. First you need to peel and cut the avocado. For those who do not know how to do this, a small instruction: cut avocados in half and carefully take out a bone, then a spoon is pushed between the pulp and peel and cranked, the peel should easily come off. However, you can clean the avocado with a knife for peeling vegetables.
Avocados are cut into large cubes, cherry tomatoes are cut in half or quarters, mozzarella depending on the size of the balls: either cut in half or left as is. Shrimp are boiled and cleaned of the shell. All ingredients are put on one plate, capers are added and watered with dressing from olive oil and lime juice.
There is another very interesting recipe: salad with arugula and mozzarella. For its preparation, it is also necessary, as in the previous recipe, to peel and chop the avocado, chop the arugula coarsely, and cut the mozzarella in half. Cherry tomatoes are also cut into two halves and sent for 2 minutes to a heated frying pan, sprinkled with spices, then cooled and laid out on a plate, where arugula and avocado are already lying. I put mozzarella slices on top and pour everything over with olive oil.