Caprese

Some sources report it was an invention of a patriotic mason who after World War I loved to enclose the colors of the tricolor inside a fragrant bun. Surely the first historical mention is from the early 1920s when it appeared in the menu at the Hotel Quisisana where Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, founder of Futurism, in the summer of 1924 raged against pasta calling it "outdated".

The Italian classic is thought to originate from the Island of Capri, but there has been no way to officially determine where it came from. It is however credited to the southern Italian region of Campania. Caprese is considered a summer dish, in part to the ingredients being in season at that time, specifically the tomatoes.

What makes caprese so amazing is its simplicity, traditionally using only 4 ingredients of buffalo mozzarella (Mozzarella di bufala), basil, tomato and extra virgin olive oil. It did not gain world fame until the 1950s, when it was discovered by Egyptian King Farouk while on vacation. It is reported that King Farouk, asking for something light as an afternoon appetizer, was served a sandwich stuffed with mozzarella, tomato and basil. It is therefore definitely one of the discoveries of the twentieth century.