Make sure you get the GOOD STUFF SOAKED IN VINEGAR AND WATER, NOT THE KIND FROM A BAG - stuff like this: Very easy to find at Trader Joe's, very cheap, like $5 for the entire container and well worth it.

So, slice the tomatoes in half. It is easy to do, so I didn't need to take a picture of it. Now drain the the cheese and dump the two things together in a glass bowl. The glass bowl is very important, as a metal or plastic bowl will change the flavors. Now strip the basil. You can do this easily by putting your fingertips at the small end of the stick and pull! Pull! Pull! Now all the leaves should come off. It's really easy. Make a pile about this size: And then chop it a little, not into tiny tiny pieces, but enough to break the leaves and release the delicious flavor and wonderful scent. At this point in my recipe I added some Italian Parsley, which was a mistake and I picked it all out after my first bite, so let's act like I didn't do that to begin with.

Now for the oil! Typically, oil is the most important part of the salad, but since I can't find my fancy oil, I am using my roommate's Kroger brand olive oil. Anyway, add about 1.5oz . Now drizzle that over the tomatoes, cheese, and basil. Typically, you would be done, but since it's cheap olive oil, I'm added some almost equally cheap balsamic vinegar. oh god I love balsamic. Add about .5oz of that to the salad.

Gently stir.

And you get: Eat this pretty much right away, although it can be really really really good when it is ice cold and has been "brewing" for a few hours.

Now that you have learned how to make insalata caprese, please be sure to view these other salad recipes.