Caprese Bread Recipes

CAPRESE GRILLED BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for low heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Drizzle olive oil over baguette halves. Add minced garlic and season with salt and pepper. Layer tomato on top; season tomato with salt, pepper, dried parsley, and dried basil. Top tomato with mozzarella cheese.
• Place baguette halves on foil and grill until cheese starts to melt, 5 to 8 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and parsley. Cut into slices and serve.

SMOKY CAPRESE BREAD BOWL

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium indirect heat.
• To make the bread bowl, slice off the top one-quarter of the bread with a serrated knife and set the top aside. Hollow out the loaf by cutting a circle around the inside of the bread, leaving a 1-inch border. Pull the soft bread out with your hands, making sure to leave about 1 inch intact at the bottom of the bowl as well. Reserve the bread pieces and the bowl.
• Combine the tomato paste, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, several grinds of black pepper and the red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil until well combined. Brush the mixture all over the inside of the bread bowl and its top with a pastry brush. Fill with the cheese and replace the top.
• Grill the bread bowl until the cheese is completely melted, about 30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, grill the reserved bread pieces until golden all over. Transfer everything to a serving platter and remove the top of the bread bowl. Top the cheese with the tomatoes and basil. Drizzle with more olive oil and some balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with flaky salt.

BAKED CAPRESE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Arrange slices of baguette onto a baking sheet and brush both sides of each slice with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt.
• Toast the bread in the preheated oven until lightly golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Flip the bread slices over and top each slice with a slice of tomato and a slice of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with salt.
• Return crostini to the oven and bake until tomato and mozzarella slices are warmed through, about 5 more minutes.
• Arrange the crostini onto a serving platter and sprinkle with basil. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle lightly with more sea salt and black pepper.

FLATBREAD CAPRESE

Steps:

• Combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Stir in the water until it forms a rough dough.
• Sprinkle some flour on a counter or cutting board. Turn the dough out onto the board and sprinkle a bit more flour on top. Knead until the dough becomes a smooth ball, 3 to 4 minutes, adding more flour as needed. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Roll the dough into a 9x17-inch rectangle and transfer it to the prepared pan. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and bake 18 to 20 minutes, until golden and crisp.
• Meanwhile, combine the mozzarella and tomatoes in a medium bowl. Slice the basil into ribbons and add them to the bowl, along with a drizzle of oil. Season with salt.
• Transfer the flatbread to a cutting board. Scatter the mozzarella mixture on top. Cut the flatbread lengthwise, then into triangles. Serve immediately.