Peach and Prosciutto Caprese Salad

I’m republishing this almost one year to the day! Should I wait another three days to republish, so that my perfectionism can sing its heart out with the fortuitous bliss that is 365 days by accident? Nope. I want to share this with you NOW! Peach season is upon us and I can’t think of anything else I would rather make with my Farmer’s-Market-Fresh Peaches. Not even cake or cobbler or pie. Just this salad, which is healthy and indulgent both at once, and which is my favorite kind of food.

Why am I republishing? Because of this:

Don’t you think the new photos are just a tiny, teensy, itsy little bit better? I do!

As long as I was going to make a Peach & Prosciutto Caprese Salad for myself, I figured I should do the dish justice and take some better photos. I want to show you how beautiful the colors are and I want to make your mouth water with the juicy peaches and the fresh basil because I want you to eat it and enjoy it and then make it again and again and serve it to dinner guests because it’s THAT kinda salad. They could serve this in a 5-star restaurant. And I mean that! I’m serious! I’ve worked in restaurants, so I know. (Just go with it.)

[Original post published July 12, 2014]

I’m sitting at the dining table, licking the bowl from the peach cheesecake I just whipped up. I’ve been home almost 4 hours and I haven’t even put my purse away or taken my shoes off or changed out of work clothes. Why? I LOVE cooking and baking and peaches and I love sharing it with you all.

This salad might be the best thing I’ve made so far. It’s a close tie with the Bourbon Blondies. (Update: if you click on this link, you will find an awesome recipe, but really horrifying photos.)

But I did have a little faux pas… At the farmer’s market recently, I bought some smoked, mozzarella-shaped cheese. Thus my train of thought at the grocery store: “I already have that mozz I bought from The Goat Lady. It’s smoked, but… that will probably taste good with peaches!”

Did you get that? I said I bought it from The GOAT Lady. It was smoked GOAT cheese. Duh! (Mom, stop rolling your eyes.)

Have no fear. The salad was still ex-cell-ent. I encourage you to make it with goat cheese or mozzarella cheese or what whatever other cheese your heart desires. (But really, probably mozzarella or goat cheese would be best. This wouldn’t be great with cheddar, for example.)

5 from 1 vote

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Peach & Prosciutto Caprese Salad

Recipe lightly adapted from SHAPE Magazine, May 2014

Course Appetizer, Entree

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 201 kcal

Author my Bottomless Boyfriend

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

• 3 firm-ripe peaches pitted and sliced into rounds
• 6 ounces mozzarella I used part-skim from Trader Joe's, sliced into 8 rounds
• 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto cut lengthwise into thirds
• fresh basil leaves to taste

Instructions

1. To make the dressing, whisk together olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
2. Arrange peaches, mozzarella, and prosciutto on a platter. Spoon dressing over salad and top with basil leaves.

I ate on the porch and KitKat came to join me.

What I liked: I didn’t have to the edit the pictures; it is THAT beautiful. (Update: Turns out I did need to edit the pictures. My, what a difference 362 days makes…) It’s quick. Make one serving or make four servings — I only made a plate for myself and I didn’t have to waste anything or pack up leftovers. Fresh – no oven, no stove, no grill! Low calorie, FULL flavor. It was rich, but would be lighter with actual mozzarella.

What I did differently: Well, I already came clean about this. In the future, I won’t specifically change anything, but I might play around! Swap mozz and goat cheese. Switch prosciutto for salami. Try some thyme. Go crazy!

My rating: 5/5, easily!