Too Hot to Handle - Baked Caprese

A Caprese salad is literally a simple salad in the style of the island Capri, Italy made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, seasoned with salt, and drizzled with olive oil. Its simplicity is what makes it so beautiful, and that beauty reminds the two of us of, well, of ourselves. Celebrating an age-not-to-be-mentioned birthday soon we are feeling like a couple of hot and feisty twins. In celebration of that, we decided to make a meal that showcases simple beauty but also something as hot as the two of us were feeling. The plate: Baked Caprese.

The process isn't a mystery. A layer of tomatoes gets a little sprinkle of salt, and a drizzle of high quality (as we deserve nothing but the best, this time of year and all year round) extra virgin olive oil. The second glorious layer is the fresh and incredibly fragrant basil. Then the crowning glory, fresh mozzarella sliced thick and luxurious, complete trap the layers below. With the eagerness of two year olds, we place our layered heaven in the oven and bake until the mozzarella is melted, browned, and gorgeous delicious. It calls to you, pulls at your senses until you all but go mad wanting to dig in a spoon. The cap breaks reveals a treasure just waiting to be found, just like the two of us. Hopefully with this dish, and this new year about to begin, we won't be single for long. Until then we will savory being simply beautiful and enjoying the delicious journey of life.

Baked Caprese
5 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 (8-ounce) balls fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices and patted dry
Coarse salt
Crusty Bread, sliced or chunked

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 11x7-inch baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.

Arrange the tomato slices on the bottom of the baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Top with the basil. Lay the cheese slices on top of the basil in a single layer. Top with additional basil if desired.  Bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the and golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.  Serve with bread.

Yield: 4 Servings