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Caprese salad may have been what caused Julia Child to remark that Italian cooking of this sort is not cooking at all - it's shopping! It's certainly true that this salad is elemental, and the elements depend very much on the quality of the ingredients. Fresh tomatoes, hot off the vine, and sun-warmed basil give an insalata caprese its sublime and classic character.

But the age-old combination was the product of some cooking genius - sweet and spicy basil, tangy tomatoes and creamy cheese are so perfect together. Some classics just shouldn't be messed with.