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Description
A creative and festive Caprese salad shaped like skulls, perfect for Halloween or themed parties. This recipe uses fresh mozzarella molded into skull shapes and is dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese pearls
- Cherry tomatoes (around 20-24, or as desired), halved
- Fresh basil leaves (a small handful, about 10-12 leaves), roughly torn or chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, for drizzling
- 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze), for drizzling
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Skull-shaped silicone mold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) or use a microwave.
- Place one mozzarella pearl in each skull mold cavity. Gently press them in.
- Bake the molds in the preheated oven for 8 minutes, or microwave for 20-30 seconds on high. The cheese should be pliable and soft.
- Remove molds from the oven/microwave. Use a napkin or the back of a spoon to gently press out any excess water from the cheese and ensure it conforms to the mold details.
- Place the molds with the mozzarella skulls in the refrigerator for 10-30 minutes to firm up.
- Carefully remove the mozzarella skulls from the molds.
- Arrange the mozzarella skulls on top of the halved cherry tomatoes on a serving dish.
- Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or balsamic glaze) over the mozzarella skulls and tomatoes.
- Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil leaves, salt, and pepper to taste. Gently toss to combine if desired.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Ensure the mozzarella is fresh and has a good amount of moisture to mold properly.
- Be gentle when unmolding the cheese skulls to prevent them from breaking.
- Adjust the amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to your preference.
- For a stronger basil flavor, you can slightly bruise the basil leaves before adding them.
- This salad is best served immediately after preparation to maintain the freshness of the ingredients.