Caprese Salad with Tomato Rose for St. Rita

This clever idea was shared by my friend, Alexandra, who put a novel twist on the Rose Garden Tea Sandwich. These lovely tomato roses are the centerpiece of an Italian Caprese inspired salad. Caprese is a combination of flavors, textures, and freshness: ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil or balsamic vinegar. In this version the slice of fresh mozzarella is layered with a basil leaf and then drizzled with balsamic vinegar and topped with the lovely tomato rose. Focusing on the Italian origin of the Caprese salad with the rose tomato variation this would be a perfect addition for the feast of Italy's St. Rita of Cascia (May 22) who is often pictured with roses and has a rose miracle story. Or could be for one of the Italian Roses - St. Rose of Viterbo (September 4) or St. Rose Venerini (May 7).