caprese brunch bar
Snack Board Saturday, anyone?
Anything caprese is a favorite of mine. If any variety of the combination exists on a lunch or dinner menu, chances are its appropriate for my eating preference (i.e. no meat) and will thus be selected. Fresh tomatoes, basil, and hunks of mozzarella…Yo, that’s what dreams are made of.
So starting today, Snack Board Saturday is a thing for a time. Summer may be closing but so continues the season of entertaining as holidays prance closer and closer (yikes). Boards are the easiest way to feed a crowd without too much hassle. You can set a wide swath of food combinations on a pretty platter and satisfy guests for hours, refilling as needed when the party platter diminishes. They’re also fantastic for post-long run nibbles, when appetites are weird but nourishment is a requirement.
Build a Board Workshop
I wrote up a set of tips on how to build a board last Christmas, but I’ll rehash them a touch here. This board involves a ton of summer fresh ingredients that require some slicing, but not much else.
First, the cheese. I kept it simple with mozzarella. Key to caprese. No mozz, no ‘prese. Key-prese. Whatever. I added some feta alongside as well for a bit of saltiness to contrast with the creamy, milky mozzarella.
The meats aren’t even required for this board, but I bought a vegetarian pepperoni to add some protein to the lineup. If you like, prosciutto, smoked salmon, cappacola, or even some marinated chicken skewers work great.
The fruits I used were peaches, plums, and heirloom tomatoes. Baby maverick tomatoes would be beautiful as well, but I actually failed to include them due to board size constraints, else I would’ve. Heirloom tomatoes are beautiful and each color provides a unique flavor. If you can get your hands on some, do. If not, tomatoes on the vine are my next favorite.
Italian bread or baguette serve as the vessel from board to mouth. I toasted mine under the broiler for a bit, with various golden hues since J loves his bread super toasty and I like a moderate browning.
Green olives provide brine and an extra bit of contrast to the sweet fruits. Could also do kalamata, if you prefer.
Finally, an Italian-style bread dip wraps all of the components together. Drizzle it over the goodies and save plenty to slather onto individual crostini. Garden fresh basil, balsamic, and garlic flavor this herby blend, and any remaining basil leaves can serve as a board garnish as well if any empty spaces exist on the platter.
Arranging the Board
Whenever I set up a snack board, I try to keep the main portion at the center. In this case, the cheeses.
The rest is pretty flexible. I placed crostini along the border, and in the center kept like-colors pretty close to one another. If using meats, perhaps keep some air between the produce and the meat products for those who may not want their goodies contaminated.
Set aside a small plate on the table near the board and pour on some of the vinaigrette. Smearing the bread in this blend…So good. Be sure to plop a big hunk of mozzarella, a juicy tomato or peach or plum, a pepperoni slice or two, and a leaf of basil to complete the bite.
Try to save some for the guests, if you can stand sharing.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Other boards to try!
Marinated Grilled Summer Vegetable Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 3 peaches
- 3 plums
- 3 heirloom tomatoes, various colors
- 1 loaf baguette or Italian bread
- 8 oz mozzarella
- 8 oz feta cheese
- fresh basil
- meats, such as salami or pepperoni
- olives
italian olive oil dip
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 cup red pepper flakes
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette: combine all ingredients in a jar. Seal the lid tightly and shake vigorously until combined.
- Preheat broiler to high. Slice the loaf of bread into 1/2-1 inch thick slices. Brush both sides with a bit of olive oil and toast about 2-3 minutes per side until desired darkness is reached.
- Slice mozzarella and feta cheeses to desired thicknesses. Place center of the board. Surround with sliced heirloom tomatoes, peaches, and plums. Add pepperoni, salami, and other desired meats. Arrange toasted crostini along the edges and set bowl of olives nearby. Fill in any spaces with basil leaves. Serve with vinaigrette to dip and drizzle.
