This recipe was inspired by everything caprese, caprese salad, caprese skewers and just my love for anything fresh with basil and pesto!! When I came up with this recipe one night before a stylized photoshoot with just a drawing before hand, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Yes, food makes me very excited, especially when I know I stumbled upon something like this!
Yield: 2
Author: Sage Bleu Catering
Deconstructed Caprese Tower
This is a twist for a Caprese salad or a Caprese skewer, it is a Caprese inspired entree or even could be a bite size appetizer.
- prep time: 1 hour
- cook time: 4 hour
- total time: 5 hours
ingredients:
Deconstructed Caprese Tower
- Potato Zucchini Cake
- 1/3 cup sweet yellow onion
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour (could substitute gluten free flour as well)
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 - 4 tbs olive oil
- 1 large russet potato, shredded
- 1 large zucchini, shredded
- 1/3 cup sweet yellow onion
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour (could substitute gluten free flour as well)
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 - 4 tbs olive oil
Roasted Tomatoes
- 4 large beef steak tomatoes or 8 medium tomatoes (if you do 8 medium that will be 4 roasted tomatoes per tower, 4 large is 2 per tower)
- 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbs fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup olive oil plus 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- pinch of sugar
Other Main Ingredients Needed
- 4 large slices of mozzarella
- Fresh basil leaves
- Pesto
- Balsamic glaze
instructions:
Directions for the Roasted Tomatoes (You want to do this first, it takes the longest!
1. Preheat the oven to *375
2. Arrange the garlic over the halves and top with a generous sprinkling of thyme then pour the remaining olive oil over the tomato halves.
3. Roast in the center of the oven until the tomatoes are concentrated, roast for 40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to *400 and roast the tomatoes until caramelized, about 20 minutes more. Roast till reddish brown (the edges should be very dark and collapsed, about 1/2 the original size).
4. Cook for about 3 hours for very ripe, fleshy tomatoes and about 4 hours for less ripe or that have high water content.
5. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes or completely cool at room temperature. NOTE: You can keep these in the fridge for up to 5 days or 6 months in the refrigerator.
6. Line a 12×17 inch rimmed baking sheet with foil. If you have parchment put a sheet on top of the foil to help with the oil.
7. Cut the tomatoes in half through the equator(not through the stem). Arrange the halves, cut side up, on the baking sheet, turning to coat their bottoms with some of the oil.
8. Arrange the garlic over the halves and top with a generous sprinkling of thyme then pour the remaining olive oil over the tomato halves.
9. Roast in the center of the oven until the tomatoes are concentrated, roast for 40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to *400 and roast the tomatoes until caramelized, about 20 minutes more. Roast till reddish brown (the edges should be very dark and collapsed, about 1/2 the original size).
10. Cook for about 3 hours for very ripe, fleshy tomatoes and about 4 hours for less ripe or that have high water content.
11. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes or completely cool at room temperature. NOTE: You can keep these in the fridge for up to 5 days or 6 months in the refrigerator.
Potato Zucchini Cake
1. Shred the zucchini into a bowl using a cheese box grater. Place the zucchini in a medium bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
2. Transer to a coliander in a bowl and let zucchini drain for about 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
3. Put the zucchini on a paper cloth and use your hands to get squeeze the excess moisture out NOTE (This is very important to do otherwise the cake will be too wet to cook up properly).
4. Shred the potato in a bowl using a cheese box grater.
5. In a bowl mix together the diced onion, beaten egg, flour and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Squeeze the excess moisture out of the potatoes the same way that you did the zucchini (very important to do).
7. Add the zucchini and the potato mixture together, mix well and form into 6 4 inch cakes NOTE: (Work quickly because the potato and zucchini oxidizes and discolors once it hits fresh air).
8. Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When the pan is hot enough to create a small sizzle, put the patties in the pan. NOTE: (Do not make the patties overly thick, they won’t cook throughout properly).
9. Fry in the pan until golden brown on the bottom, 7 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness. Using a large spatula, turn the pancakes over until browned on the second side, about 6 minutes longer.
To Assemble The Tower
1. Smear pesto on the plate.
2. Lay one zucchini cake down on the plate.
3. Layer one mozzarella slice.
4. Layer one roasted tomato.
5. Layer basil leaves and the REPEAT all layers.
6. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve!
notes
Note the roasted tomato and the potato zucchini cake can be made ahead and assembled later.
Watch the video here for a quick tutorial but follow the recipe above for detailed instructions.
This recipe is vegetarian but it can also be made vegan by substituting vegan mozzarella and not using egg in the zucchini potato cake.
Sage Bleu Catering is a different kind of catering company, the food and the outcome are made with just an overall love of all things delicious and visually appealing at the same time. With a mixture of fun, food, and great flavors you are sure to have a wonderful dinner or event.
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